Double Edged Blades
by Kallypso
Summary: Sometimes not everyone is as they seem. There are hidden traits beyond a hardened shell, hidden pains, hidden marks. Look beneath and find more. But sometimes that more only hurts and hardens further. Sometimes it's a double edged blade. OC's! R&R!
1. Prolouge

_**I feel guilty. I promised my friend I wouldn't start another one of these FMA fics till I finished my first one but the idea has been lingering to long in my mind, it festered and now it's on fanfiction YIPPEE!**_

**_...My friends probably gonna kill me._**

**_Oh well, he doesn't have to know._**

**_This is a fic I'm trying in third person but it's still got plenty of my usual sarcastic dialouge so I hope it won't dissapoint. This is just the prolouge and as such must be serious. Anyway I hope you like! _**

**_And as always REVIEW!_**

It all came down to will.

A will to sever her contacts from those who loved her if they did love her anyway.

Actually she wasn't even sure they did anyhow. In between her two adorable little twin sisters and prodgidal older brothers there wasn't much time for her.

They weren't even her real family. She didn't know anyother home but she had been found abandon, a wandering two year old with no home, no where to go. Maybe they cared for her... but Hell if that made things any better. It would only make things worse.

So she was leaving, bailing out, skipping town, running away, fleeing the scene, ditching... and all other terms of the word. She didn't say good bye or leave a note. She just left. They would forget about her. They had lived before she was part of their family.

Family... she shook the word out of her head. Hardly a family why would she need them anyway.

"_Coward!" _the voice in her head screamed at her. _"You're a coward for leaving and not telling them. Selfish!"_

"It's easier this way" she muttered to herself brushing stray strands of hair from her eyes.

_"For them or for you?"_

"For me, got a problem" she snapped impatiently pausing for just a moment to glance back at the house. With a low growl she turned back away violently, mentally punching herself for her hesitation.

Maybe she should've given them warning... or stayed or tried to get help. But things were just getting worse and the worse things got the more pity and sadness would come and she didn't want any of that.

So she would leave.

She left everything behind besides two knives and her own hardened heart.

Cara was alone.

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**_Whatcha think? REVIEW AND TELL ME!_**


	2. Chapter 1: The Red Devil

**_Thanks for all the reviews for the prolouge! Keep em coming folks!_**

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_"Each player must except the cards life deals him or her: _

_but once they are in hand, he or she alone must decide how to play the cards in order to win the game" -Voltaire_

"Hey! Get back here you brat! Damn thief!"

"Yeah, _not _gonna happen." Cara grinned and adjusted the bag of stolen goods over her shoulder as she quickened her pace down the cobble stone streets past several shops and multiple, curious on lookers who lifted their heads in brief acknowledgement of the chase before they went back to their work.

"Officers!" she heard the butcher yell from behind her. "Help me arrest that delinquent!"

"Right away sir."

More footsteps joined the pursuit creating a nosy clatter of leather against stone behind the fleeing thief but she hardly felt any need to panic. Common officers weren't that fast anyway though they were, unfortunately, persistant.

"Keep up officers or you're never gonna catch me!" Cara cackled turning a corner sharply and knocking into a man with a tray of red apples, overturning it and sending the red fruits spinning through the air and causing the man to fall ungracefully to the ground. She caught one as it fell, hardly breaking her stride as she continued up the street with a brief "Thanks alot!" to the bewildered apple seller.

Cara continued to run down the streets until a sudden sharp pain in her chest cause her to stop at a cross road "Damnit" she pressed a hand to her chest till the pain subsided as quickly as it came. "Got to make sure I don't over do it." She broke back into a run.

Then she skidded to a stop at the sight of a dead end, blocked by the high brick wall of a building. She ran up to the buildings back door and tugged on the handle but found it locked. "Woopsy" she smiled weakly and turned to confront the approaching officers and the butcher.

"You've got no where to run now!" the officer at the lead raised his gun to point at her. "Of course, the infamous red devil. It's about time we finally caught you. You've been causing enough trouble in Central!"

Cara sighed theatricly and placed a hand on her forehead "Really, so many titles to come up with and the best you can pull out is in reference to my hair color?" she glanced at them and smirked "I had hoped it be a little more creative."

"Shutup!" the butcher's bulbus face was a shade of deep, angry red. "Hand back over my goods! You're cornered and have no where to run! I'm tired of you stealing of of me brat! Now drop the goods and-" he stopped at the evil grin that had spread over Cara's face.

"Oh, don't count me out quite yet" she let the bag drop behind her and held out her outstreched hands. She flicked her right, then left wrist, resulting into a shiny knife slipping into each. She smirked and looked up "Cause I'm far from finished!"

Before the officers had time to Cara shot forward like a bullet knocking the first officer off his feet, grabbing him by the back of the neck as he fell and slamming him onto the ground and knocking him out instantly.

"Hey!" the officer beside him raised his gun to fire but there was a loud clang as as Cara swung her knife upwards and knocked the gun from his hand then brought the hilt down on his head. He joined his comrad on the ground.

Moments later the other two cops were on the ground as well and Cara admired her handywork contently then she scooped her bag back from the ground and hefted it over her shoulder. She started to continue on her way but the butcher blocked her path.

"Hmph, forgot about you." she muttered, irritably.

"I will not stand for this!" he growled heatedly. "Give me back my goods or-"

"I've lost intrest in this conversation" Cara sighed, launching herself into the air. Her foot kibked up and contacted with the butchers face bringing him down and she landed on one knee just ahead of him.

Sighing once she lightly brushed herself off and sheathed both of her knives then continued on her way at a brisk walk down the back streets. Another sharp pain made her winse but she shook it off, refusing to let the pain get the best of her.

* * *

"Home sweet home" Cara sighed, dropping her spoils on the gound next to her other stolen goods. She lived in a basement under an old shop, recently gone out of buisness. She usually didn't stay in one place for too long, she tried to keep moving around.

Cara had an odd look about her. She was small and a bit wirey with pale skin and gold eyes oddly mixed with her short cropped, spiky, red-brown hair, for which she had been called the "red devil" among those she stole from. Because of her build she was quick and agile but lacking in strength which evened itself out in the long run. She wore always wore a black jacket and a bandage over her right hand for reasons she told no one. As far as everyone else knew the bandage simply covered up an injury.

In general she kept her distance from normal people except of course when she stole from them. It was one of her rules: don't get attached to anyone. It had been like that since she had skipped town a year and a half ago. And sense then, as she suspected her condition was getting slowly worse.

There were occasional pangs throughout the day if she overworked herself, but those she could deal with. Then there were the attacks, excruciating siezures, some times so bad she passed out. The gap between these attacks was alowly but surely, closeing.

Sighing Cara rubbed a hand over her face, plopping down on a wooden crate. Fatigue was a near constant companion now and days. "I used too much energy." she muttered bitterly. "Got stop makeing a show of it and get things done quicker next time. Got to be more careful."

She began to withdraw her knives from where she hid them on her person. She always kept at least six on her at a time: Two in her belt, two in her boots and two up her sleeves. She paused as she lifted one knife from her boot at the sound of a scuffling noise behind her. Whirling she sent the knife spinning through the air in the directiong of the sound.

The knife embedded itself in the wall, inches from the thieving hand reaching into Cara's newly acquired spoils. The thief froze eyes wide in suprise.

The thief, to Cara's suprise was a young girl, about ten or eleven years old very frail and small looking. She had tangled blonde hair that hung to the middle of her back and pale almost colorless blue eyes that seemed strangely distant.

"Step away from the goods or next time I won't miss" Cara stood and readied another knife, pointing it threateningly at the girl.

"Is it really nessasary to _kill _me over an apple?" the girl demanded, straightening and glaring twoards Cara.

"Missing wasn't an _accident _you know." Cara let a smirk play over her face.

The girl laughed nervously "Uh... right."

Cara cocked her head to the side, studying the girl. Though her glare was set in the right direction her eyes seemed distant, as if they weren't quite really looking at her. They seemed kind of glazed.

"Kid?" Cara asked slowly. "Are you... blind?"

The girl's hands clenched and she tensed visibly "Yeah! What's it to you!"

"Uh... how the Hell did you find your way down here?" Cara asked, confused.

"Oh _sure_" the girl said sourly. "I guess the _cripples _are to weak to fend for themselves! To weak! They need _able _people to look after their every little move. They can't do anything themselves! I guess they're just-"

"Hey slow down kid!" Cara had a sudden urge to laugh at the childs antics. "Just a simple question!"

"I _can _see!" the girl huffed, plopping down on a crate and resting her chin on her folded hands. "Just not like _you _see."

"I'm lost" Cara sighed after a pause.

The girl sighed and un laced one of her shoes, then tossed it twoards Cara. She caught it and held it up, raising an eyebrow "This is a shoe."

"Flip it over" the girl sighed, motioning with her hand.

Cara did and saw a strange array of odd shapes, lines and equations covering the shoe's bottom "Uh... these are transmutation circles aren't they?" she asked, rotating the shoe around in her hand trying to understand the markings. "Alchemy stuff right?"

"Uh huh" the girl nodded. "I specialize in Earth Alchemy. It took awhile for me to perfect it but I finally found a way to take the vibrations in the ground and amplify them in order to increase sensitivity in my feet. That way I can tell almost the exact locations of everything around me depending on substance and rate of movement. Same with my gloves" she held up her hands, allowing Cara to see white gloves adorned with blue transmutation circle stiched into each glove.

"Ok" Cara said slowly. "I have no clue what you just said but I'll take you're word for it." She tossed the shoe back to the girl but it flew past her shoulder and hit a wall a few feet away instead. "You missed." Cara pointed out bluntly, a slight smirk forming on her face.

"I can't sense _air currents_" the girl rolled her eyes. She casually slammed her still covered foot against the ground and a stone spike shot from the ground, catapulting the shoe through the air and back to her hand.

"Then how did you catch that?" Cara challenged.

"Simple physics" the girl shrugged. "Based on the relative location-"

"Ok, ok never mind" Cara shook her head, grinning slightly. "Got a name kid?"

"Chole" the girl said, smiling.

"Uh huh" Cara's eyes narrowed. "Now uh, back to the matter of you trying to steal my food."

"I was hungry." Chloe replied.

"Well then go buy some" Cara stated obviously.

"Did you buy yours?" Chloe challenged.

"Uh..." Cara was caught up short by the kids remark. "No... but I'm not nearly as charitable as the people I got it from." she leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees. "In other words, I'm far less easy to trick and rip off."

"...I'm out of money." she muttered, bending her head slightly.

"Ask your parents for some." Cara shrugged carelessly.

"Why do you think I resorted to stealing anyway!" Chloe snapped. "I ran away! I was just a burden so I left!"

Cara sighed pushing away the fact that this girl had a simaler past to her "Not my problem."

Chloe's jaw dropped, she was obviously expecting a different answer "Wha..."

"Well you've made it clear you don't want to be treated like you're disabled" Cara reasoned. "You seem to be just fine on your own with your alchemy, and you seem to be plenty capable of taking care of yourself. I see no reason to help you." she shrugged non shalantly. "You got to earn your place in the world kid. You think I've had anyone to help me. Not a chance. Now get going. Nice meeting you." Without another word, Cara turned her back on the open mouthed girl and began organizing her knife cabinet.

There was silence behind her and for a moment, Cara thought Chloe had left.

Then the girls voice returned stuttering "I-I can help you!"

"How's that?" Cara asked, not turning around, an amused smirk spreading over her face.

"I can sense where dangerous people are, warn you when their coming. I can make things alot easier! I'll... be you're eyes so to speak." Chloe answered firmly.

Cara rubbed a hand through her hair. Ironically enough, it made sense. Plus with warning about pursuers she could avoid sticky situations that might cause her to waste energy or trigger an attack. The girl might be useful to have around.

After a long pause Cara turned back around to face the determined looking Chloe "All right, fine. You can work for me kid. Under three conditions. One: Do not trust me. If it's benificial to me I will lie and break promises. Two: Don't hinder me. The moment you start slowing me down I'll drop you and move on. And three, this is especially important: Don't rely on me. You can never trust someone to stick around for ever so you've got to be able to take care of yourself."

"Don't trust, don't hinder, don't rely on" Chloe nodded. "Got it."

"Good then it's a deal" Cara stood and held out her hand then smirked "Oh right, you can't see this can you?"

Eyes narrowed Chloe swung her hand up to tightly clap the offered hand much to Cara's suprise. "I sensed a vibration got through your body" Chloe explained testily. "And yeah, it's a deal."

Cara grinned. Maybe haveing this girl around would work in her favor.

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**_What do you think? Leave a comment and REVIEW PLEASE!_**


	3. Chapter 2: The Fullmetal Pipsqueak

**_HEY EVERYONE! I'M BACK! HOPE YOU ENJOY!_**

**_Cara: If you think she's actually good._**

**_Be quiet queen of cynisism!_**

**_Cara: Bite me._**

**_Chole: sigh... Review!_**

"We need more meat" Cara sighed, closing the crate that housed their spoils. "And I could use a few more knives. Chloe hurry up with your breakfast and-" Cara turned as she called and stopped at the sight of Chloe already behind her, holding out a series of knives, a grin formed over her face.

"Already done" the kid looked very pleased with herself.

Cara sighed and shook her head, allowing a half smile to drift over her lips "You out do your self kid." she took the knives from her partner and concealed them on her person. "But don't go getting a big head" she warned sharply

Chloe giggled "With all your warnings I find that exceedingly difficult."

"And stop using such big words!" Cara groaned theatrically, rubbing a hand over her face. "It makes me feel... un intelligent."

"I'm book smart, you're street smart." Chloe shrugged.

"As you say, I'm a genius" Cara grinned.

"Whose getting the big head now?" Chloe raised her eyebrows.

"Shut it little shrimp." the red head rolled her eyes. "And hand me an extra bandage. They're-"

"On the second crate to the left of the cot I know" Chloe retrieved the bandage and held it out to Cara. "I've done this enough to get it."

"Stop finishing my sentences, it creeps me out." Cara muttered. She unwrapped the old bandage on her hand and tossed it away, pausing to look at the mark on her hand for just a second. It was a strange birthmark, that's what she thought it was at least. She's always had it. It was fadeing into her skin slowly, lightening with age. It had used to be a dark angry red color, not the faded brown it was now. Still she always kept a bandage over it. No need to wierd people out.

Only Chole knew about the birthmark. Then again, Chloe knew alot of things about Cara that no one else did. Like the nature of her condition, her reasons for running away... and just about everything that was going to come out of her mouth. The kid was smart, a fast learner. It had only been two months and she was like Cara's shadow. The red devil remained aloof from her partner but she couldn't deny how useful the little alchemist was.

"Well, no sense in hanging around" Cara got to her feet, clapping her hands together, an evil smirk on her face. "Let's steal things!"

Chloe sighed and followed Cara from the cellar.

* * *

"So you know everything we do is that what you're saying?" Edward Elric asked sourly, glareing at Colonel Mustang vicously. "Great, I'm really glad we had this talk!"

"Relax Ed" Mustang smirked. "But that's not quite all I wanted you here for. In addition to your state alchemy exam I have a little job for you."

"I don't know" Ed countered sharply. "I Don't think I really feel like doing you any favors!"

"Oh I'm sure it won't be any trouble for the 'Great, Fullmetal Alchemist'" Mustang clasped his hands together on his desk. "It's just a little thieving problem in Central. The 'Red Devil' has been terrorizing the public for over a year now and I need someone to clear it up for us."

"Over a year and we're just now getting to it?" Ed asked dryly. "Wow, we have a state of the art police force don't we?"

Mustang ignored the comment "She's fast and she also is rumored to have a companion, an alchemist."

"Is this 'Red Devil' an alchemist too?" Ed asked, eyes narrowed with a slight curiosity.

"No, she's rumored to just use knives. But don't underestimate your opponent Fullmetal. She may just be a teenager but she's evaded us for this long so there's got to be an explanation for all this."

"What? You're sending me after a kid?" Ed groaned in exasperation. "Aren't I more qualified than that?"

"She may be older than _you _Fullmetal so I would talk" the colonel smirked as Ed fumed. "I figured I'd match up the heights... though it might be a close call... maybe she's taller than you. It is hard to find someone whose smaller."

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING A PINT SIZED, LITTLE MIDGET WHO COULDN'T WIN A FIGHT AGAINST AN ANNOREXIC FLEA!" Ed ranted loudly.

Mustang sighed and leaned back in his chair "Don't for get your re examination Fullmetal. Get going."

"Yeah whatever" Ed muttered moodily, stalking from the room and slamming the door. What a waste of his time...

* * *

"Damn this place is crawling with soldiers." Cara growled, peering out from behind a wall.

"Yeah" Chloe frowned from where she knelt on the ground, her hand pressed against the stone. "You're right... I'm getting a lot of guns in my scope."

"That's one thing I don't get" Cara studied Chloe. "How do you sense guns? They don't move."

"Metal sends out more vibrations then normal earth" Chloe explained, rising from the ground. "Even when it's not moving I sense it vaugley...

"Do you think they're here to look for you?" Chloe asked, a touch of consern in her voice. "You've been doing this for awhile."

"Yep" Cara sighed and leaned back against the wall, a small smirk on her face. "But if so it took them a damn long enough time. Comeone" she straightened. "We'll have to take the backways. They aren't beating me out."

The two hurried down the back alley, trying to make as little sound as possible as they ran.

"Any one following us?" Cara asked as they paused to rest a minute in the a back alleyway.

Chloe's brow furrowed "...No... I don't think..."

"You don't think?" Cara blinked. "What's that supposed to mean!?"

"Well I sense _something_ but the vibrations are all wierd..." the girl stared at the ground in concentration.

"Hey! You're that red devil aren't you?" a young, boy's voice called from behind them.

"Yeah, no shit Sherlock" Cara smirked ad turned around "Who exactly wants to know?"

The boy was short, a little taller than her though that wasn't saying much, especially for a guy. He had blonde hair pulled back into a braid and fierce golden eyes, identical in color to Cara's. He wore a red jacket and gloves even though it was seventy degrees outside. Beside him was someone in a tall suit of armor.

"Fullmetal Alchemist Edward Elric" the boy said sharply. Cara decided that she didn't like this boy. He was way too cocky for her taste. "And you're under arrest. I don't have much time for this so I'll have to make it quick."

"Somebody's getting a little confident don't you think?" Cara raised an eyebrow with a smirk. "And aren't you a little on the small side for a military dog?"

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING A RUNTY LITTLE PIPSQUEAK THAT CAN'T BE SEEN WITH OUT A MAGNIFING GLASS!" said pipsqueak exclaimed angrily, in what was a rather commical reaction to Cara's comment.

The red head blinked "I... didn't say that."

"It was implied!"

"...Right..."

"Brother..." a suprisingly young voice came from the suit of armor. "She didn't say anything like that!"

Cara heard Chloe inhale sharply from beside her and she looked down curiously at the eleven year old "What's wrong kid?"

"That boy's right arm and left leg are metal" she whispered. "And the armor beside him... it's _hollow_."

Cara felt her eyes widen. She heard a sharp intake of breath from the fullmetal pipsqueak and his brother.

"H-how did you know that!?" Edward stuttered glareing at at Chloe with a mixture of shock and anger.

Chloe pressed her lips together in a tight line and Cara decided to draw the conversation away from her companion. She always told Chloe not to tell anyone how her alchemy worked as it was a weakness that could be used against her.

"I thought you were in a hurry pipsqueak!" the red head snapped impatiently. "I don't want to waste my time either so let's just get this over with." She glanced down at Chloe "Kid, keep the armor one off me. I'll take the state dog."

Chloe nodded "Right."

Cara looked back up, staring the pint sized alchemist down, smirking widely. "I've always wondered what the military's standards were for it's dogs." She flicked her wrist and a knife slipped into each hand. "So let's see what you've got." She shot forward twoards the alchemist, intent on knocking him out with the hilt of her knives.

Edward managed to dodge just barely, allowing Cara to go shooting past. Then she made a swift turn back and she lunged forward again before the alchemist had time to recover from the first attack. She brought a knife down twoards his head but he managed to raised his right arm to block the strike. The knives rebounded off with a sharp clang.

"Ha! They are metal!" Cara dodged Edward's fist, flipping back on one hand and landing in a crouching position. "Lucky for you."

"Brother!" the armor moved to help in the fight but Chloe was there to cover Cara, true to her word. The girl slammed her foot against the ground causing a rock fist to shoot from the stone and knock the armor aside.

"She didn't even move" Ed whispered, stareing in shock.

"Mind on the fight pipsqueak!" Cara called, coming at him again.

Edward barely dodged the blades "Damn you!" he flipped back and clapped his hands together, drawing a steel blade from his automail arm.

"Pretty cool" Cara smirked.

"Yeah thanks!" the alchemist charged her againt, swinging down at her with his blades, a blow sh blocked by crossing her knives together over her head.

Meanwhile Chloe was beginning to have trouble keeping the armor at bay as he was in fact hollow and couldn't feel pain.

"Look we don't have to fight like this!" the armor protested, holding his hands up in attempt to keep Chloe from attacking. "If we keep doing this someone's gonna get hurt!"

"I'm not calling the shots here" Chloe sighed sadly. "I don't like fighting much either but I can't have you makeing my friends job any harder."

These fights continues in a succession of acrobatics, alchemy and occasional insults. Finally Cara managed to catch her opponent across his left arm creating a shallow cut. He hissed and was distracted long enough for Cara to knock his feet out from under him and send him sprawling on the ground. She raised a knife, ready to end the fight when suddenly a searing pain shot through her chest.

The force of the pain caused her knives to slip from her fingers as she doubled over in pain, curling into a tight ball on the ground. She gritted her teeth in a vain attempt to keep strangled cries of pain from escaping her. It felt like someone was pouring liquid fire into her veins.

Through the pain she saw leather boots approaching down the alleyway and the sound of clicking guns.

"CARA!" she heard Chloe cry out from somewhere in the midst of her haze. That was the last thing she heard before her world faded to blackness.

* * *

**_Cara: We're three chapters in and already you're making my life miserable._**

**_Of course (evil grin)_**

**_Cara: sigh... this is gonna be a long book..._**

**_Chloe: REVIEW!_**


	4. Chapter 3: Jail Break

_**I'm glad everyone seems to be reacting positivly to this story!**_

**_Cara: Damnit._**

**_Chloe: What?_**

**_Cara: This means my life is gonna be bombarded with depressing crap._**

**_But people will feel more sorry for Chloe because she's just so dang cute!_**

**_Cara: My thoughts exactly._**

**_Chloe: Sigh... review_**

"Cara? Cara please wake up!"

Cara groaned and rolled over onto her back. It felt like she had spent the night thrashing around on a hard stone floor. Oh wait... she was in a cell... with a hard stone floor... and she had an attack previously... that explained alot.

With great effort she sat up, propping herself up on her hands and observed her surroundings. Lucky her it turned out this stone floor came with complimentary iron bars and a dozing military stiff to boot. How flippin perfect.

Beside her Chloe knelt on the ground. At Cara's moving she sighed with relief "Thank God. You've been out for awhile."

"What happened?" Cara muttered messageing her temples.

"The military came right after you passed out and they brought us here." she sighed. "Though I'm not quite sure where here is. I've never been inside Central Headquarters before but the thing is like a maze."

"Huh." Cara pulled herelf up with help of Chloe and kocked on the iron bars in attempt to rouse the dozing gaurd "Yo gaurd dog! Rise and shine! Yoo whoo!"

The military stiff jerked awake and glared at her "What do you want!"

"Don't be snippy with em, you were the one sleeping on the job." she smirked. "I want to know where the heck we are. Mind giving us a little info here?"

The stiff turned up his nose hautily "If I tell you you'll no how to escape!"

"Yes, I can chew threw iron bars, you caught me" Cara rolled her eyes. "Seriously? What do you think I'm gonna do teleport?"

The gaurd obviously didn't like Cara's tone but he answered "You're in a temporary holding room by the court house in Central HQ. You're being tried for your crimes tommorow."

"Hmph" Cara huffed. "What about my friend here?"

"We know she's a run away, we're trying to find her parents" the stiff cast a look at Chloe. "But she hasn't given us anything to work with, no name, no identity, no address."

"Yeah she's kind of _not _an idiot like that" Cara nodded congenily. "Now to teleport!"

The gaurd flinched in suprise and Cara cracked up laughing, leaning on the bars for support "I was _kidding" _she wheezed between her giggles. "God, the look on your face was priceless, just priceless buddy."

The gaurd growled and turned away.

Chloe sighed "Something tells me you'll get jailed just for inappropriate behavior in court."

"Cool, contempt in court sounds fun" Cara sniggered still laughing over the stiffs gullibility. There was no end to how stupid the human race could get.

* * *

"You didn't tell us she would be _that _hard to catch" Ed growled, glaring at the Colonel.

Mustang smirked "You underestimated her didn't you?"

"You didn't mention the little girl could do alchemy without so much as tapping her foot!" Ed exclaimed. "And how could the Red devil move that fast! She's faster than Al and he's _hollow. _If she hadn't had that wierd attack I would've been dead!"

"Next time I'll be sure to give you much _smaller _jobs" Mustang put a careful emphasis on the word small.

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING TOO SMALL TO HANDLE ANYTHING THAT A THREE YEAR OLD COULD BECAUSE HE'S EVEN SHORTER THAN ONE!" Ed ranted angrily.

Mustang chuckled "Dismissed Elric, I'll be seeing you at your re examination."

"Yeah, my fist" Ed muttered under his breath.

"Brother?" Al murmered as they left the office. "That girl, the little one. She did alchemy and she barely moved. Do you think it could anything to do with..." he trailed off, there was no need for him to finish.

"I was wondering the same thing." Ed nodded. "And I wanted to ask her... but I have a feeling that redheaded psycho won't like that."

"We can always try" Al pressed.

"Yeah, we'll try."

* * *

"Cara" Chloe nudged the red head from her thoughts as she was trying to think of a method of escape. "Those two alchemist from earlier are coming."

"Oh are they." Cara's eye narrowed.

"Excuse me, you can't be in here" the military stiff tried to block the blonde boy and his armored brother from entering but Edward flashed his state pocket watch.

"This won't take long" he said in a tense voice as he glared at Cara.

She smirked at him "Someone seems bitter."

"Don't go making smart remarks" the alchemist snapped. "You're the one who lost that fight."

"Ah" Cara raised a finger at his comment. "But I wouldn't have, had my body not decided that it hated me and wanted to screw me over. Then I would've beaten you and you know it Mr. al-chem-ist." she assentuated each syllable and leaned back against the wall casually. "Imagine, beaten by a mere thief. I guess the military is running out of canidates so it has to resort to not so worthy chiwawas for their dogs."

"I'M NOT SMALL!" Edward yelled. "And you should just can it, you're the one behind bars. I didn't come here to talk to you anyway, I just have some questions for the kid."

Cara's eyes narrowed. "What makes you think she would answer said questions blondy?"

"I don't know why don't you let her answer!" Edward snapped.

There was a long pause before Cara raised her hands in truce "Alright, alright, Chloe, go ahead. Do you want to answer their questions?"

"I'm not telling you how I do alchemy. I know that's what you're gonna ask! I don't give out my weaknesses to people" the eleven year old snapped. "Try to figure it out yourself cause you aren't getting a thing from me."

"There see" Cara grinned. "From her own mouth."

"Come on brother," the armor murmered. "It might not have anything to do with the philosiphers stone."

"Better luck another day" Cara shrugged. "For now you should just concentrate on growing taller."

"AT LEAST I"M NOT A CRIPPLED WEAKLING!" the alchemist spat.

In a flash Cara was on her feet and punching her fist through the cell bars, knocking Edward back into his brother who caught him before he fell "Brother! Are you ok?"

"Hey, back away!" the stiff drew his gun and pointed it at Cara. "I'll shoot!"

Cara payed him no attention. Edward wiped blood away from the corner of his mouth and looked up at the livid looking red head, shocked by her sudden reaction "Never. Say that. Again" she whispered, her voice shaking with rage. "_Never._"

Ed glared and stalked twoards the door "Come on Al! Let's go!"

"I..." the armor looked back tentativly at Cara "I'm sorry..." then he followed his brother.

Cara turned her glare on the military stiff "Oh put that thing already you lousy wimp!" she snapped.

"Cara?" Chloe said tentativly. "Are you ok?"

"Fine" Cara muttered tensly, waveing her hand dismissivly. "Talk about something else."

"...I..." Chloe seemed deep in thought. "They mentioned the philosiphers stone."

"I've heard of it before" Cara mused. "It's some kind of alchemy ledgend isn't it?

"Yeah" Chloe picked absent mindedly at her shoes. "It's supposed to amplify alchemic powers immensly. You can by pass the laws of equilivalent exchange" she sighed. "You can see the appeal. Alchemist could do stuff they never could before. Get back a lost arm or leg, their sight maybe... succeed at a human transmutation, who knows?"

"So you're saying you could get your sight back?" Cara said slowly. "And I could get ris of my attacks."

"Theoretically" Chloe nodded. "But it's just a ledgend. People say that it's the devils errend, a hard journey, one that only desperate fools would attempt."

Cara threw back her head and began to laugh. Chloe stared at her in suprise at this outburst. Grinning Cara dropped her head again "A journey for desperate fools eh? Well... what do we have to lose?"

* * *

"Sir? Sir may I please have some water?" Chloe asked in a pitiful voice that made Cara almost think she was being genuine and she was the one who had come up with this idea in the first place. She struggled not to grin from where she lay, propped up against the bars, pretending to be asleep.

The stiff caved and got her the drink, just as Cara knew he would. As he handed her the cup through the bars he commented "That doesn't look like a paticularly comfortable place for your friend to sleep."

"Who said she was sleeping?" Chloe asked in her innocent little girl voice.

In flash Cara jumped to her feet and snaked her arm through the bars to hit the gaurd hard on the neck. "Nighty night." she grinned evilly as she fished the keyes from his pocket. "And we thankyou for being a sucker for cute little girls."

Chloe giggled as Cara unlocked the door and she found her gloves in the gaurds pockets as well. She slipped them on "I don't see your knives though Cara."

"That's fine, we'll make a stop by the butcher before we look for the pipsqueak and his much taller than him brother." she grinned demonicly. "And once we find them we'll beat all the info out of them!"

"Wouldn't it be easier to see if they want to be peaceful?"

"We'll beat all the info out of them. Now how do we get out of here? Can you figure out the way?" Cara asked.

"I'll try." Chloe nodded.

The two ran down the corridors of Centeral Headquarters. Their timing had been good. It was in the middle of the night and hardly anyone was around. Anyone except the rather unfortunate gaurd who decided to come around the corner at that moment.

He paniced and ran for the alarm but Cara shot forward like a bullet and swiftly tackled him to the ground, holding him in a tight choke hold and leaving the man to struggle and gasp feebley for air.

"Could you so kindly directed us to the nearest exit?" Cara asked in a mock sweet voice. The man groped at her arm, trying to struggle free but Cara tightened her hold "I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch that."

"L-left then right..." the stiff choked. "C-can't miss it..."

"Thanks" Cara beamed and squeezed her arm down a little harder so that the man fell unconcious.

"Why must everyone we meet end up comatose" Chloe sighed.

"Because it's easier and it's fun" Cara deadpanned.

"Not the word I would use."

"Never mind kid, let's scram before day light hits and we get caught again" Cara stood. "Then we're going after those brothers." she grinned. "Besides... that pipsqueak deserves more than a punch for his insults."

Chloe sighed, but didn't argue. This was Cara after all. She would do whatever nessasary to get what she wanted.

* * *

**_YIPPEE! Scar in the next chapter! REVIEW!_**

**_Cara: Oh good, now on to the near death experiences! Arrests just weren't enough for me._**

**_That's good cause you don't have a say in it either way!_**

**_Cara: Aw damnit._**

**_Chloe: REVIEW!_**


	5. Chapter 4: Getting Complicated

_**Ok, sorry for the wait, thanks for the reviews I've been getting! Keep em coming my loyal readers!**_

**_Cara: Or she might go psycho... she's crazy._**

**_Says you._**

**_Cara: No denial here_**

**_Chloe: That contributes to disturbing psychological tendencies alone._**

**_Cara: Ugh, to many big words._**

**_Comes from my genius, REVIEW!_**

Cara sat idley on the stone bench, her head tilted back to rest against the brick wall behind her, her eyes closed and her red hair falling in her eyes and about her face in an unkempt untridy look. She was begging to get impatient. True, as Chloe had pointed out, they were making good time on their search but she wasn't usually one to be optimistic. At least now she was far enough out of the military's radar to relax in the knowledge that no one would recognize her.

...yet.

The two girls had been searching several cities around Eastern headquarters, looking for the place where the pipsqueak alchemist and is taller armored brother had gone to see the Doctor Mar- what's-his-face. This practice had begun that morning and it was drawing into late afternoon. It was starting to drizzle lightly, but Cara made no move to duck under one of the roof awnings. She stared blankly up at the sky and let the tiny drops hit her skin. She liked the rain. It really did make you feel alive. She was never one to fuss over her appearence so what did wet hair matter?

"Cara!" she tore her eyes away from the grey sky to see Chloe running twoards her, a triumphant grin on her face. The eleven year old stopped panting for a moment before reporting "They're definetly here. It's a good thing that brother of his is a walking tracking device."

"Yeah, if only we could of found said tracking device sooner" Cara sighed, rising to her feet. "Instead of searching every damn town for them."

"What's your solution?" Chloe asked dryly cocking her head to the side. "Putting more people into comas?"

Cara grinned devilishly down at the girl "Hey now, don't tempt me shrimp." she gave a little wave of her hand. "Lead the way kid."

Chloe led Cara through the town then stopped on a street lined by several houses. The look of the town was simple and rustic, most buildings constructed from stone and very close together. _A good place to make a quick escape over the roofs _Cara speculated automatically. She always took in her surroundings before she stole, assesing possible escape routes or how to handle different jobs.

"They're in that house right there" Chloe pointed to the house on the corner. "But I don't really think we can just break in."

"No we could" Cara mused putting a hand thoughtfully to her chin. "But..." her gaze trailed to a drain pipe running down the side of the house and up to the roof, where a small window resided, a window that had a tiny hole in it. "I think in this case a little spying would be more sufficent. Just in case this conversation happens to have anything to do with a certain, legendary alchemic stone."

"Oh so you're planning ahead now?" Chloe smothered a grin. "That's new."

Cara rolled her eyes "Keep the smart remarks to a minimum, ok kid?"

"Whatever you s-" Chloe cut off abruptibly and her eyes narrowed. "Cara we've got a problem."

"Oh crap." the red head sighed theatrically. "Did the pipsqueak have a sudden growth spurt or did you lose your ability to see with alchemy?"

"Worse."

"Worse than not being able to see-"

"The military just arrived."

Cara paused and blinked before slapping a hand against her forehead "Shit, that is worse. Time to put a roof escape to good use. Come on."

Cara was up the drain pipe in seconds while Chloe made foot holds in the building side and climbed up before clapping her hands together and returning the wall to it's origional state just as the band of military goons started up the street.

Cara's eyes narrowed as she observed the scene from the saftey of the roof, her fingers gripping tightly at the ridge of the paneling. She kept her head low so that the men didn't have a good view of her. Beside her Chloe was holdind her breath. At the head of the men was the only guy who really stuck out, a huge guy with dark skin and possible one of the wierdest mustches cataloged in the whole history of Ametris.

"God that guy looks incredibly pompus and annoying..." Cara growled. "I automatically hate him."

"A bit blunt don't you think?" Chloe flashed a mischevious smile. "Hey I've seen him before."

"Really where-" Cara began to ask then frowned. "Oh a blind joke, how mature."

Chloe waved a hand in front of her un responsive eyes "Ha, ha."

They continued to watch as the goons invaded the house that Chloe had pointed out to Cara as the two brothers location. Then two of the goons came out dragging an older man who was making a ruckus about "not wanting to go back". The mustache goon followed. A few seconds later pipsqueak ran out and started protesting but he evidently lost that word argument at his defeated look. A crowd of conserned onlookers had gathered around the house many of them looking on in horror as the man continued to protest desperately.

"This is why I hate the military." Chloe sighed sadly.

"It wasn't my main reason" Cara murmered thoughtfully. "But... yeah I guess it should be a reason."

"Have you never seen the strife the military has caused?" Chloe stared at her in disbelief.

"I don't usually pay attention to other people." Cara dismissed the topic. "I tend not to... well I tend not to really care."

But apparently the pipsqueak did because he began to run after the car that was driving away with the man.

"Come on." Cara was thankful now for the close roof tops as jumping over the gaps between houses was very easy. Both her and Chloe followed the pipsqueak from the roofs as he pursued the car. Then very suddenly it skidded to a stop.

"Hold up." Cara skidded to the stop, steadying herself on the roofs edge. "Somethings not right." Her eyes narrowed in concentration. Then she saw him, tall, darked skined, light hair with an X shaped scar on his forehead.

"W-what is he" Chloe eyes were wide. "There are so many vibrations coming from him and he isn't even moving."

"I don't-" There was a sudden flash of red alchemic lights and the car was gone in a burst of steam "What the Hell!?"

Chloe hissed in pain and curled in, clutching her head, her shoulders shaking.

"Kid" Cara put a hand on her shoulder to steady her and keep her from pitching off the roof. "What is it."

"There's too many vibrations!" she winsed again. "What the heck is he!"

"He looks human to me." Cara murmered as the scarred man moved twoards wierd mustache goon.

"Brigader General Gran the Iron blood alchemist." the scarred man said in a commanding, intimidating voice. "For your sins you shall persish."

"Oh great" Cara rolled her eyes. "A wanna be preacher. What a waste of time."

Wierd mustache goon tried to reach into his pocket to grab something but in a flash, the man moved quicker than she thought possible for someone of his size and he grabbed his face with his right hand. There was a flash of light- and blood burst from the back of the mans head and from his eyes, nose and ears. Then he fell to the ground, dead.

Cara stared and blinked "A wanna be preacher _serial killer. _Huh, that's new."

Chloe was clutching her head again, her teeth gritted together in an attempt to quell crys of pain that threatened to slip from her mouth and reveal their hiding place.

"Hang on there kid" Cara murmered.

The scarred man was approaching the older man who had been a military captive just a moment before "Crystal Alchemist Tim Marcoh. I thought you were dead. May God show mercy on you when I send you to him."

The man didn't move but The Fullmetal Pipsqueak did. He ran forward and grabbed Marcoh by the arm and pulled him away and they began running in the opposite direction.

"Damn it" Cara growled. "You stay here Chloe."

"W-what!? No I'm coming with you!" Chloe protested.

"Do as I say" Cara snapped. "I said stay here! You can't get near that guy, he's doing something funky with your head!" with that she began leaping over the roofs again trying to catch up to the pipsqueak, the old doctor and the preacher serial killer guy.

Damnit, this was getting more complicated than she's bargained for.

* * *

**_So you know, review!_**

**_Chloe: That was an awful cliffhanger!_**

**_Cara: How evily like you._**

**_I know. MWAHAHA! GIVE ME YOUR FEED BACK!_**


	6. Chapter 5: Unintentional Heroism

**_Next chapter! Sorry for the cliffie!_**

**_Cara: She's never sorry for cliff hangers, she loves torturing people with them._**

**_Chloe: She completely Apathetic_**

**_Hehehehe..._**

**_Both: What?_**

**_Nothing, just being evil... :)_**

**_Ed: Freak_**

**_Al: sigh... REVIEW!_**

Cara only once in her pursuit to glance back and make sure Chloe had stayed like she said. Luckily the girl was obedient and there was no sign of her. Really her presence would just make the fight harder anyway.

The thief moved agiley from roof to roof keeping her eyes on the scarred man's back as he pursued the alchemists. Then he trapped his targets at a dead end in a blocked tunnel. Proceeding with caution, Cara stayed above the tunnel to wait for the oppurtune moment to attack.

"Who are you!" she heard Edward demand. "Why are you after us!?"

"If there are creators like you in the world, there must also be destroyers." the scarred man stated lowly.

There was the sound of a clap and the flashing of alchemy and Cara guessed the state dog had transmuted a wepon. She sighed and dropped down behind the scarred man, landing in a crouching position.

"Yes they take grass and turn it to _flowers_" she smirked, carefully acentuating the sarcasm in her voice. "Those heartless bastards!"

Edward's eyes widened for a second before narrowing again. "You!" he growled heatidly. "What are you doing here!? How did you escape!?"

"Let's just say it involves some cute con arting by Chloe and some coma inducing hits by me" Cara said evasivly with an evil grin. "But that's hardly your biggest consern right now pipsqueak. I would concentrate on the guy blowing up shit with his hand."

"Stay out of this" the scarred man glared at the red head (she decided to just call him Scar for all intensive but non creative purposes). "My only enemies are state alchemists and those who stand between. If you interfere-"

"Question" Cara waved her hand in the air. "Sorry, maybe I'm not caught up on this issue but... why do you hate state alchemists?"

"Alchemists are those who take something from their natural form and convert it into something grotesque." Scar growled in answer.

"That just brings up more questions" Cara scratched her head theatrically. "Doesn't everyone do that? People take wood and make chairs or stone and make buildings... that's toying with natural forms is it not? In that case everything in this city is grotesque!"

"You're a child you cannot possibly understand."

"Ok _now _you're just fishing for a reasonable excuse."

The scarred man glared and raised his right hand "They profane the creator god and his creations claiming that they have a better design. I come as a messanger, the right hand of God to carry out his judgements."

Cara stared at him for a few moments then clapped her hands together slowly "Wow, lots of passion in the psycho serial killer buisness. Very nice speech indeed." she grinned. "Whatever, I try to just avoid alchemy, it's too confusing."

"Then leave" Scar growled. "Or you too will recieve judgement."

"Oh see... that's the other problem" the red head let an evil smirk slip onto her face. "I can't have you killing these guys, I need to ask them a few things and information is best exchanged when the people are alive. So" she flicked her wrists and a knife slipped into each hand. "I suggest you be the one who should leave."

"Don't do me any favors" Edward growled, glaring viciously at the girl.

"Favors?" she raised an eyebrow. "I'm not doing this for you pipsqueak. Since when was I selflessly motivated?" she gave him a pointed stare and let her eyes drift down to the weapon in his hand then to Scar. He paused then nodded slightly once.

Cara turned back to Scar fixing him with her piercing amber eyes "I don't have all day. If you're going to attack then do it already."

"Foolish girl" he flexed his hand. "Death shall be swift."

"Foolish?" Cara cocked her head slightly to the side smirking broadly. "I'm not the one who turned his back on his _other _opponents."

Scar whirled around just in time to dodge the blade of the pipsqueak alchemist "You're too slow." he raised his hand, prepared to strike.

"Brother!" the armor jumped in front of Edward just in time so that Scar's hand contacted his arm instead of Ed's head causing a crack to appear on the metal surface.

Cara shot forward twoards the Scarred man "He may be to slow." she launched herself through the air, her knife poised to strike at his throat. "But _I'm _not!"

She wasn't too slow, just a little off balance. If she had been on target she would've sliced Scar's neck and he would be gone but instead she just slashed his shoulder, not to deep, but enough to cause pain. She came down in a smooth cartwheel and landed in a crouch beside Ed.

"Ah dang it." she sighed dissapointed as she stood. "I missed."

Ed stared "You were aiming to _kill_?"

"He... is trying to kill us isn't he?"

"I still have questions for him!?"

"He's half religious half psychotic! What more do you need?"

At that moment a hole was blasted in the wall behind them and Cara had to flip back in order to avoid falling rocks. She saw the un mistakeable silloet of a man in a military uniform coming from the dust cloud.

"Damnit" she hissed and darted past Scar and away from the scene. "Got to go."

"Hey wait-" Ed started to call but she was already halfway down the street.

Once away from Scar though there was a new problem. Several military goons had swarmed through out the village, no doubt looking for Scar. Of course that wasn't exactly good news for any thief in the area either.

Cara stopped at the head of an alleyway and checked around cautiously for soldiers.

"Hey you!" she heard leather clad footsteps running twoards her. Without turning jammed her elbows back, feeling the soft give of a stomach and a gasp for breath then she slammed her right fist up to contact her victems face. There was a groan as he slipped to the ground, unconcious.

"Sorry" Cara muttered, distastefully eyeing the military goon on the ground, not feeling sorry at all. "But I don't have time to deal with you right now."

"Like I said" a young voice sighed. "Everyone we meet seems to end up comatose."

Cara tried to mask the relief she felt at the sight of Chloe with a tone of exagerated impatients in her voice. "There you are! Where have you been? I've been dodging soldiers for almost ten minutes now!"

"Yeah well I had to dodge soldiers, _and _find you and I'm _blind._" Chloe grinned. "I win."

"This isn't a contest" Cara muttered. "Get us to a safe location, then we'll talk."

"Ay ay captain!"

* * *

**_Pretty decent mini fight scene if I do say so myself._**

**_Cara: It's because I'm so wonderful._**

**_Ed: Right._**

**_Cara: Shut it pipsqueak._**

**_Ed: Grr._**

**_Chloe and Al: REVIEW!_**


	7. Chapter 6: Acts of Desperation

_**Next chapter! A pretty decent fight scene in this one :)**_

**_Cara: Yippee..._**

**_Chloe: Cara, you love showing off, what's your problem._**

**_Cara: Cause, knowing her, I'll like... die or something._**

**_Of course not! You're the main character! I never kill off main characters!_**

**_Cara: But animes certinly have a fettish for it._**

**_Ed: Yeah I've noticed that... it's really annoying..._**

**_Cara: Ha ha..._**

**_Al: REVIEW!_**

"So what happened?" Chloe asked once they were safely atop a roof.

Cara sighed and rubbed a hand through her hair "It was going fine till another military goon butted in and I had to get out of there... I won't deny that Scar guy is fast. I almost had him once but I was off target and missed the fatal shot."

"It's odd." Chloe murmered. "The type of alchemy he uses. And all those vibrations... they were..." she bit her lip. "Well... they were great enough to make my head feel like it was being split open, let's put it that way."

"So it was alchemy?" Cara raised an eyebrow. "But the entire time he was going on about how alchemists were evil and blasphemous and profaned God or some crap like that... and he's using alchemy? Seems a bit hypocritical to me."

"Maybe it's because he stops at step two, and he believes that keeps him in the gray area." Chloe reasoned.

"Step what now?" Cara asked, confused.

"Alchemy consist of analyzing a substance then breaking it down and re constructing it. He stops at the destruction phase." Chloe explained. "He believes he is blameless if he doesn't complete the entire cycle."

"Whatever" Cara muttered, waveing a hand. "Alchemy is Alchemy. It's long, confusing, and involves using large words. And personally I'd think it be better to change something than destroy it... I mean... it seems more resourceful."

"Yeah" Chloe agreed. "If you had a chance to die or change your life what would you choose?"

Cara barely had to think "I would change."

"Even if it meant becoming a moral individual?"

"You're pushing it kid."

Chloe smiled then suddenly keeled over clutching her head, a cry of pain slipping from in between clenched teeth "He's... close." she squeezed her eyes shut. "Damnit why can't he stop using his stupid arm!?"

Eyes narrowed, Cara stood and tried to locate the source of this alchemy. A few houses down she saw flashing red lights and heard a screeching sound like metal being ripped apart forcing Chloe to wince again.

"Stay here kid." Cara growled.

"I'm coming... with you." Chloe forced herself to stand.

"Like Hell you will. You being there will just slow me down." Cara growled. "Now stay here!" she lept across the gap between the roof and followed the alchemic lights. She sskidded to a stop on the third roof and cautiously peaked over the ledge. Below her the Fullmetal pipsqueak had charged Scar, looking absolutely livid. Beside them on the ground was-

Cara felt her eyes widen. She knew Chloe had said that the armor was hollow but she hadn't quite belived it. But now she saw the shredded armor, torn to pieces and she could see nothing with in it. Did this mean the state dog's brother was dead?

There was another flash as Edwards arm shattered into a thousand pieces and he was sent flying back and to the ground. As Scar began to move twoards him it suddenly occured to Cara that she should... do something.

She lept from the roof and angled herself in a downward kick headed for Scar's head. He turned just in time at the sound of rushing air to avoid her foot and she instead kicked his shoulder hovering briefly before kicking off and flipping backwards a few feet and landing safely in a crouch on the hard ground.

"You know, you really shouldn't take your time with these things. It's much better to get it done quickly or your enemies have time to foil your plan of... religious enlightenment or whatever." Cara smirked as she stood. "Though I should tell you... it's hard to get alot of converts when you're killing everyone. People don't normally roll to well with that. It tends to be a turn off factor."

"You again." Scar and Edward said, interestingly enough, in unison.

"Yes, I'm quite annoying aren't I?" she grinned slipping her last two knives from her sleeves into her hands.

"Foolish girl." Scar glared at the red head, obviously inferring that the boy with only one arm and a beat up brother wasn't going anywhere. "Your interference will only ammount to your imminent destruction."

"What is with all you people using such big words?" Cara groaned, rubbing her temples. "I know it might make you sound more authoritive but the authority doesn't work when I don't know what you're saying."

"I will give you one last chance" Scar's eyes narrowed and he flexed his hand. "Leave."

"No can't do." Cara said brightly. "Like I said before, I need these guys alive to beat some information out of them." She licked her lips, with anticipation. "So I'm giving you the chance to leave scarred man."

In answer he began to charge at her. Cara grinned as he came at her "Guess that was a no." she swiftly ducked under his arm and twisted around behind him before flipping back to avoid another blow. Ducking low, she shot under his arm and went to stab him but only managed to nick him in the side. She rolled out of the way of his hand and countered with a kick to his legs but she quickly discovered that the guys wouldn't be thrown off that easily. He was way too strong. She shot through his legs like a bullet and turned swiftly in mid stride to lunge back in his direction.

Suddenly a sharp pain shot through Cara's chest and she flatered, only for a moment, but that was all Scar needed to get the advantage. He siezed her by the neck and pinned her up against the wall, so that her feet dangled limply above the ground. In the shock her knives slipped from her hands and skidded across the stone, out of reach.

"Shit" Cara muttered, though trying to sum the situation up with one word was near impossible.

"You're quick" Scar said, his red eyes glaring into her golden ones. "But you're strength comes as your downfall. And away from the ground where you can scurry out of danger." his grip tightened on her throat. "You're defenseless."

One part of Cara wanted to tell him to stop monolouging, another part of her was looking for a way to get out. And a third part of her growled "I. Am _not. Defenseless._" But he was right. Her knives were out of reach, and she couldn't match his strength.

She coughed and tried to pull out of his grip but his hand came up over her face and pushed her head securely back against the wall "Now you will perish."

"GET AWAY FROM HER!" A blur streaked down from the roof , squarely hitting scars arm that held Cara, throwing off balance and causing her to slip from his grasp. Cara winsed as another spasm of pain shot through her upon impact with the ground.

Teeth clenched she looked up to see Scar glaring at the new comer, Chloe, who was in a crouch a few yards away from him, her eyes set in a vicious glare "Don't touch her!" she yelled with a viciousness Cara didn't know Chloe's sweet voice could make. But maybe the glare had a bit too much intensity to it because it magnified how distant her eyes were, an observation Scar quickly made.

"You are blind." I was a statement not a question.

There were two audible gasps, one from the alchemist and one from the hollow, smashed up armor as they both turned to stare at Chloe.

The girls fists clenched "Shut. UP!" she clapped her hands together and slammed her palms against the wall behind her creating stony, spear shaped projectiles that flew at Scar; unforgiving, deadly missels.

Scar was fast, dodging the majority of the stone spikes and destroying the others with his hand. At this Chloe stumbled back and to the ground clutching at her head, an agonized cry slipping from her mouth.

"You are an alchemist" Scar speculated. "One of the state? Or just a rouge one. Either way" he flexed his hand as he approached the girl on the ground. "I will destroy all who have interfered with my mission."

"Damnit" Cara hissed trying to rise but she was forced to the ground by another short spasm. "Chloe _move_!"

"Red devil!" Cara turned to see the pipsqueak slide a glinting, metal object across the ground and to her. Her knife. Without hesitation she scooped up the blade and hurled it in desperation, twoards Scar. The rushed throw hit Scar in the shoulder and he hissed in pain. For a moment he stood undecisivly looking between the state dog, Cara and Chloe as if unsure who to attack first.

Suddenly his arm glowed red and he yelled out in pain. Cara looked over to see the Doctor Marcho guy, who se had completely forgotten about, coming twoards Scar, a red stone out streched in his hand.

Chloe outright screamed in pain and Cara rushed over to her as the doctor began rambling about alchemic nonsense that she didn't dare try to understand. "Kid, hang on."

"M-military" Chloe managed to get out. "C-coming this way."

"Crap, we need to get out of here" Cara looked around for an escape.

Gritting her teeth, Chloe clapped her hands together and placed them on the ground creating a hole in the stone "In here!"

"Right!" Cara grabbed her companions arm and jumped in the hole and into darkness.

When the hole was sealed Cara let herself relax under the dim lights underground.

"Sewers" Chloe grinned weakly. "I feel so uncreative."

"Heh, screw creativity, at least we're out of there." Cara sighed and rubbed a hand over her face before glaring at Chloe. "Now did I not specifically tell you _not _to follow me kid?"

"If I didn't you would be dead" Chloe mumbled bluntly.

"That's not the point kid! It's not worth throwing away your life just for another persons" Cara groaned. "And especially not for me. It's not worth it."

"That's not what I was taught..." Chloe muttered, stubbornly.

"Keep to your own moral code kid" Cara sighed. "But do what I tell you to do."

"But directly contradicts any sane persons moral code!"

"Deal with it shrimp."

"Right sorry" Chloe sighed, giving up. "Now what?"

Cara paused for a moment in thought before she stood "The train station."

"Why there?" Chloe asked.

"Because Fullmetal pipsqueak needs his arm fixed. I'm guessing he's got a mechanic somewhere, he's most likely to go there" Cara grinned. "And then we can beat info out of them."

"Why has obtaining info become so unbelieveably violent when it conserns you?" Chloe asked.

Cara rolled her eyes. Despite her non shalantness the thought of how close she had been to death, flashed through her head.

And the funny thing was, she had barely cared.

* * *

**_Chloe: We apoligize for the wait!_**

**_We hope it was worth it!_**

**_Cara: Yeah, now for all you who are suckers for this story REVIEW!_**

**_Al: That's not very nice._**

**_Chloe: She's not a nice person._**

**_Ed: That's a good point..._**

**_REVIEW!_**


	8. Chapter 7: Innocense

**_I'm updating from school... apparently, already being in the website of choice allows you to by pass the school security network. It's pretty awesome!_**

**_Cara: Aren't you the rebel._**

**_Like you're one to talk._**

**_Cara: Never said I was!_**

**_Chloe: REVIEW!_**

"Are you sure they'll take the train?" Chloe asked her companion tentativly.

"Yeah, 99% sure." Cara sighed. "98% maybe..."

They were waiting on the edge of the train station, Cara sitting on a wood bench, her head leaned back against the wall and the brim of her hat tipped over her eyes, and Chloe kneeling on the ground beside her, brow furrowed in deep concentration. The red head had stolen the cap. Her red hair was, after all, her trade mark and she didn't want to take chances of being recognized. Chloe had a hat as well, just as a percaution, even though she wasn't nearly as well known.

"You're positive?" Chloe asked again. "Cause right now I'm getting a whole load of nothing. How do you know?"

"Intuition."

"In other words: You have no clue."

"Shut it shrimp." Cara muttered. "Give it another hour ok?"

It turned out that they didn't need an hour as fifteen minutes later Chloe's head raised, her face alight with a triumphant grin. "Bingo."

Cara tilted her hat up and caught a glimpse of their target. The pipsqueak alchemist, currently one arm short, was standing beside a gigantic balding man that Cara could swear was sparkling. He had a huge blonde mustache that hid the majority of his mouth and big, bulging muscels. Over one huge shoulder he carried a large wooden box, within which was the battered and torn apart armor that was the state dog's brother.

A mischevious grin crept over her face "That's our ride kid. Let's go." she stood and began to trot twoards the train.

"Shouldn't we at least buy tickets first!" Chloe called in exasperation.

Cara turned around and stared at the eleven year old skeptically, one eye brow raised "Remind me again: How long have you been working for me?"

"Alright, alright I know. You have no morals."

"Believe it."

* * *

The problem came when the personel came around to collect tickets. Luckily, as it turned out, Chloe could cry on cue.

"Oh I'm so sorry sir! Please forgive us! I was so careless!" the girl sobbed pitifully.

"Please sir" Cara consentrated on pouring as much sugar sweetness as possible into her voice even though she was dieing a little in side with each word. "You see... my little sister... she's blind. Please forgive us."

"It's ok" the personel assured them soothingly. "Just be more careful next time."

Once he was out of earshot Cara dropped the sweet act like a lead weight "Sucker." she turned to Chloe and grinned. "Not bad."

"No one says no to a handicapped girl" Chloe sighed, with a grin as she wiped false tears from her cheeks. "So now what?"

"Hmm..." Cara stared around the train car in thought for a minute before she saw the answer. A little kid, maybe nine years old, running cheerfully down the aisle in their direction. "Hey you kid! Come here!"

"Me?" the kid asked, trotting over.

"Yeah, want to make some money?" Cara fished the remaining change out of her pocket and jingled it around invitingly in her hand. "Have you seen a giant bald man and a short blonde boy with a red coat be any chance?"

"They're in a booth across from mine!" the boy nodded, beaming.

"How convenient!" Cara grinned and dropped half the change in his expectant hand. "Go find out where they're going. Be innocent and wide eyed, then come back and tell me. Don't tell them about us or anything. Do that and I'll give you some more change."

"Right!" the boy ran off.

"So delightfully naive." Cara sighed.

"Something tells me he never got the 'Don't talk to strangers even if they offer you money' lecture." Chloe sighed. "Why any kid would trust you is beyond me."

"Because they are young and youthfully innocent" Cara said cheerfully. "And so easy to manipulate."

The boy returned a few minutes later grinning from ear to ear in triumph "They're going to Risenbol!"

"Thanks kid." Cara dropped the remaining change in his hand. "Let us know if anything changes."

The boy nodded dutifully and hurried off.

"Innocense isn't bad you know." Chloe said softly.

Cara turned and looked at the girl in suprise "What?"

"Innocense." Chloe repeated. "It's not a bad thing. There are times I wish I could be that ignorant, blissful kid. I never got that. Being blind I had to be naturally supicious of everyone as a kid. A picture is worth a thousand words, I never got the picture to look at. I could only hear voices, and those can decieve. I never got to just be blissful. I thought that... when I finally got my techinique down and could sense things... then I could be innocent. But in reality I became more suspicious then ever. Suddenly I didn't have just the sounds... I had peoples heart beats... their lies... a picture is worth a thousand words but those words can decieve. I knew humans for what they were: Imperfect, dishonest, even cruel. It was as if I completely skipped the stage of innocent childhood in my life. I wanted to be able to just believe people were black and white. That's why I like being around you."

As usual after Chloe's long and wordy speeches Cara could only manage an ineloquent "Huh?"

"Maybe it's because all of the metal blades of the knives you always carry on you mask your movements or that you're good at hiding emotions but... I can never tell when you're lieing. You're harder to read." Chloe sighed. "I mean... I know you lie almost constantly... but around you I don't have to make judgements. I can trust that you are you. I don't have to know any truth about it."

"...I told you never to trust me kid" Cara muttered.

"I don't trust you" Chloe grinned. "I trust you to be consistantly untrustworthy though and that's something."

"Right" Cara sighed and placed a hand theatrically against her forehead. "Great, now you made my head hurt with all of this deep, philisophical stuff. I'm going to sleep."

Thought with her eyes closed. she still thought. She had a feeling the girl did trust her... not with belongings maybe, but with her secrets and with her life. She remembered telling Chloe not soon after the girl had joined her.

_'Why did you tell me about your secret? How you see with your feet? I could tell your enemies'_

_'You won't. You would've done it already.'_

The girl was smart. She knew Cara all too well.

That was the problem.

* * *

"They got off before Risenbol!" the boy announced. "They said something about the short boys brother missing."

"Should we go after them?" Chloe asked when the boy was gone.

Cara tapped a finger against her chin thoughtfully for a moment before shaking her head "No... I don't think they lied to the kid. They'll go to Risenbol. They've probably just been delayed a little bit." She grinned. "Actually this might be better. We can find the mechanic and establish a connection...Act interested in automail" she glanced hesitantly at Chloe. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about automail would you?"

Chloe smiled sheepishly "Well the boys automail was facinating to me. The way the metal can fit together and move like a human body part to me, matching the natural functions and all. It's amazing all that can be engineered with-"

Cara clapped a hand over Chloe's mouth and muttered "Ok fine. Being interested will be your job."

"Great" Chloe beamed. "And you can be my cynical, un interested, violent older sister."

"What a strech" Cara rolled her eyes sarcastically squashing a small bug against the window with her finger.

Chloe giggled and Cara smiled too. She wondered absentmindedly how she kept herself entertained without Chloe around... and found she couldn't really remember a time when she hadn't worked with Chloe.

That was another problem.

* * *

_**Yeah, just a little character development in this chapter! Hope you enjoyed!**_

**_Cara: REVIEW!_**


	9. Chapter 8: The Rockbells

**__**

**__****Sorry it's been awhile... I was focusing on my other FMA fic, Lightning strike until school was over but now school is out and we're all set to start up again :)**

**_Cara: This is a fillerish kind of chapter..._**

**_Chloe: Yep! REVIEW!_**

* * *

Cara stared wide eyed around upon getting off the train at Risenbol "It's so... so..."

"Rural?" Chloe tried.

"Empty... and big..." Cara murmured. "I've... never really been out to the country before..."

"I used to live in the country" Chloe gave a smile, lined with nostalga. "It's nice once you get used to it... it's quiet."

"Except for the cows huh?" Cara smirked.

"Right..." Chloe sighed. "So uh... where do we stay?"

Cara froze "Uh... huh... didn't plan that far ahead."

"You never do" Chloe smiled, shaking her head.

Cara ignored her, scratching her head for several seconds before suggesting "Under the stars?"

Chloe wacked her forehead.

It kind of annoyed Cara how on occasion Chloe seemed to be the more mature one. Sometimes she just _acted _older. Cara was spontaneous and Chloe planned things ahead, though in the end, Cara's judgement was usually followed.

"Um... excuse me are you two lost?" a timid, girl's voice asked. She had blonde hair that hung almost to her waist, tied in a green bandana and wore a jacket over a sleeveless top that cut off at her mid drift accompanied by baggy pants. She had bright blue eyes and a helpful smile and in her arms she carried a crate of miselanious metals and parts that looked like they belonged to some sort of machinery.

"No" Cara denied at the same time Chloe answered "Yes." beggining a glaring contest between the two girls... well Cara glared, Chloe just kind of stared blankly, eyes narrowed in Cara's general direction. It was hard to glare when you were _blind_.

"Uh..." the girl stared uncertinly between the two. "Which is it?"

Chloe took control before Cara could say anything further "Please excuse my older sister. She's just a little cranky" she said brightly putting on the innocent little girl face. "Really we just needed a place to stay. See we're meeting some... old acquaintances here for something and they've been delayed so we're stuck here for a few days. Do you happen to know where an inn is by any chance?"

Cara sighed deeply, deciding to lecture Chloe later for not giving her a heads up.

"If you want, you can stay at my house" the girl said brightly. "We have a lot of extra cots for our automail patients so you can use those. There aren't exactly any high class resorts way out here in the country."

"Really?" Chloe made her eyes all wide. "You're an automail mechanic?"

"Yes, me and my aunt Pinako." the girl nodded.

Now Cara was interested "Really? Well we'd definetly like to take you up on your offer."

"But we don't have any mon-" Chloe began before Cara elbowed her through a forced smile and she corrected herself quickly. "I mean thanks alot! To tell the truth, I've wanted to know how auto mail works for awhile now. It's kind of facinating to me!"

And just like that she was on the mechanic girl's good side.

"I'm Winry" the blonde beamed.

"Cara" the red head inclined her head. "And this shrimp is Chloe."

Winry supressed a small giggle with her hand and Cara cocked her head to the side "What's so funny?"

"Nothing... I just know someone who freaks out at being called a shrimp." she smiled.

"Is that so?" Cara raised an eyebrow, supressing a smirk. "I think we'll get along well Winry."

* * *

Much later, after being introduced to Pinako and after Chloe had ooed and awed a sufficent ammount over the automail works (which she actually did seemed to enjoy alot) Winry served the two girls tea in the small kitchen.

"Thanks for showing me your stuff" Chloe said graciously.

"Oh it was no trouble" the girl smiled, sitting down across the table from them with her cup of tea. "So who are these people you want to meet?"

"Just a few people who owe us some things" Cara said evasivly. "We need to exchange a little info and they were coming here."

"Oh" Winry nodded, and didn't press the subject to Cara's relief. Her eyes instead trailed to the bandage on Cara's right hand. "What happened there?"

Cara instinctivly pulled her hand from the table and into her lap "Just a cut... jammed my hadn real good on something sharp."

"Do you need a fresh bandage?" Winry asked, consern evident in her voice.

Cara was taken aback by this mechanics kind offer "I... no... I just changed it." her grip tightened on her cup as she stared down at the half drained contents. "Why are you being so helpful to complete strangers?"

It was Winry's turn to be suprised "What do you mean?"

"You invite us freely into your home, you help us, you serve us tea and all" Cara listed off. "What if we were thieves or something like that? Then what would you do." Cara tried to ignore Chloe's less than subtle cough at this "hypothetical" statement.

"I..." Winry gave a sad smile as she stared down at her tea. "I guess it's just in my nature... to be helpful... Automail mechanics work to help others, to replace lost limbs so that they can keep living life the way they did before. Plus my parents were doctors." She bit her lip, looking as if she was repressing unpleasent memories. "They always worked to help people... their whole lives, that's what they did."

"How did they die?" Cara asked. There wasn't even a need for Winry to confirm that they were dead. Her face was a dead give away.

"Killed in the Ishbalan Rebellion" Winry murmured. "They didn't distinguish between patients or care about whether they were in the military or if the were Ishbalan... they treated everyone... and for that they were executed."

"Oh, we're sorry" Chloe murmured.

Cara was tempted to point out that this was why the mechanic _shouldn't _trust people so easily but she decided not too. She didn't really want to upset this girl. She just found the kindness a little uncomfortable.

After a brief, awkward silence Winry looked up, her usual bright smile back on her face "But let's not be so depressing. I'm about to head back to work on this new model. Chloe, do you still want to watch?"

Chloe nodded eagerly "Yes please!"

Cara resisted the urge to say that Chloe couldn't _watch _as she was in fact _blind_ as the two began to leave.

"You're welcome to watch too if you'd like Cara" Winry offered.

"No thanks" Cara said waving her hands in front of her. "I'll distance myself from the math, textbooks and mechanical mumbo jumbo thanks very much."

"Suit yourself" Winry laughed and they left.

Cara allowed a small smile to creep over her face. This girl was nice even if she was too trusting.

And for a thief, kindness was often a foriegn concept.

* * *

Cara jumped twoards the tree with a round house kick before "dodging" and kicking off it's trunk, flipping back a couple yards and landing in a crouch. She almost immediately lunged forward at the tree again, continuing her kicking and punching, rolling to the side occasionally in a mock "dodge". She never lost focus, keeping her mind focused on how to best manuver with the least exertion.

After several minutes she stopped and straightened, wiping sweat from her brow. A sound of steady clapping met Cara's ears and she turned to see Chloe coming up the hill, a small smirk on her face as she slowly applauded the display.

"Fantastic, you are truly a master of tree mutilation. May all plants flee in fear."

"_You'll _flee in fear if you grow a sharper tongue on you" Cara flashed an evil grin.

"It's a product with hanging out with you oh queen of cynisism" Chloe sighed with a smile. "So what is with this brutal attempt at tree murder. Did it kill your family or something?"

"Yeah let's go with that" Cara rolled her eyes. "Well, truthfully-"

"Stop the presses."

"Shut it shrimp. Truthfully, I've been getting restless. I have trouble just... _not _doing anything. I want pipsqueak and his brother to get here already so we can get the info we need" Cara shrugged. "So I thought I might as well practice while I wait."

"You've never done that much" Chloe speculated. "Practicing I mean."

"In the past few days I've been beaten twice in a fight, by the pipsqueak and the religious psycho scarred man with the freaky arm." Cara muttered. "And I don't like being beaten... it really gets on my nerves."

"Only because your attacks" Chloe pointed out.

"That's the point kid" Cara sighed. "I have a feeling if we're going on this journey for the desperate, I'm gonna face harder enemies. I've gotta be ready for that... I've got to be able to fight through attacks when they come. I practicing for that."

"Fair enough" Chloe shrugged. "What do you think of Winry and her granny Pinako?"

"They're both... nice" Cara muttered.

"Do you feel bad about decieving them?" Chloe asked.

Cara let out a short laugh "Well... almost."

"Considering it's you, that's a start" Chloe smirked.

"Hmph" Cara grumbled. "So anything out here besides open space kid that you know of?"

"Farms, cows, barns" Chloe shrugged. "And a cemetary a mile down that road over there."

"Huh" Cara ran through her hair. "I think I'm gonna check that out."

"Feeling depressing?" Chloe raised an eyebrow.

"Nah just curious" Cara started down the hill and down the road, hand raised in farewell. "Don't wait up!"

* * *

_**Ed comes back in in the next chapter.**_

**_Cara: Hooray, more bantering!_**

**_Ed: Grumble..._**

**_Chloe: REVIEW!_**


	10. Chapter 9: Alliance at the Grave

_**Cara: Next chapter...**_

**_Chloe: Speaking of which..._**

**_THE FMA CHAPTER 108 IS OUT! RUN FOR YOUR LIFE TO ! IT IS AWESOME! SUCH AN AMAZING ENDING! AUGH!_**

**_Ed: (blinks): Well geez..._**

**_I need to right a FMA fic that coencides with the manga... I've got an idea and everything but I swore to finish Lightning Strike first so I wont be quite yet... anyway ENJOY!_**

**_Al: REVIEW_**

Ed sighed and leaned against the wall of the small train car next to the crate that carried his smashed up brother. He had decided to ride with Al the remainder of the train ride because between the smell of sheep and the presence Armstrong... he would brave the fluffy animals to sit with his brother.

Now, as the steady hum of the train echoed through his ears, the alchemist let his mind drift. His thoughts rested on the Red Devil and her little side kick. Why had they tried to save them in the first place? The red head had mentioned something about needing information, and that was the only reason she was saving him.

God she annoyed him, she was selfish, taunting, her smirking mask never wavering and it killed him that he actually might _owe _her something for saving his life twice. He didn't want to help her or have anything to do with her. Hopefully though, he'd be able to avoid her for a little while out here in Risenbol.

"Brother? What are you thinking about?" he heard Al ask, the tenative voice cutting into his thoughts.

"Oh uh..." Ed jumped. "Nothing! Just uh..."

"That girl?" Al finished for him. "I've been thinking about her too."

"Yeah." Ed muttered. "She's annoying as Hell... but she might've saved our lives... you know?"

"Mm hmm." Al sighed. "I've been thinking about the younger one too. Do you think it's true what the scarred guy said? That she's blind?"

"Her reaction was clue enough" Ed nodded. "It's hard to believe though. She moves like a normal person... and it took us this long to figure it out. Looking back though it makes sense... she never seems to be looking straight at some one. Her eyes are glazed."

"And what about the Red Devil?" Al asked.

"What about her?" Ed muttered. "She's annoying, concieted, and she only cares about herself. She's just a constant mask of careless smirks that never cracks."

"That's not true" Al murmured. "That night in the jail."

Ed winsed at the memory his hand subconciously moving up to gingerly touch the fadeing bruise on his cheek. "Right I forgot about that." There was no denying that she could punch _hard _but the thing that had really suprised him was how suddenly her mood had changed. He had called her _weak _and suddenly smirk melted to snarl, golden eyes narrowed into a piercing glare and she had shot forward so quickly that he wouldn't have been able to dodge if he _had _seen the mood swing coming.

"ELRIC BROTHERS!"

Ed blanched as the unwelcome voice of the major boomed through the train car and the gigantic, sparkling, muscular man burst through the sliding door. Ed realized he had been so engrossed in his thoughts he hadn't realized the train has stopped.

"It is time we departed Elrics!" Armstrong said sweeping his arm under Al's crate and hoisting it over his shoulder so easily that he might as well have been hoisting up a pillow, scaring away several of the sheep in the process.

"Right" Ed sighed. "Let's go."

* * *

Chloe knew they were coming several minutes before the dog did. She sensed the state dog's metal leg first and his arm soon afterwards. As they drew closer she could feel the broken up pieces of the armor too, though they didn't appear to be touching the ground. A minute later she sensed a third set of vibrations, that came from a presumably large person who appeared to be carrying the armor.

"Are you ok Chloe?" Winry asked, noticing how the girl had tensed.

"Fine" she said with a bright fake smile as the dog began to bark.

_Let the fun begin..._

The state dog was only in the door for a second before he spotted Chloe and exploded "WHAT IS SHE DOING HERE!"

Chloe smiled pensivly and sighed "Ah look, the people we needed to meet are here."

"DON'T IGNORE ME! LOOK AT ME WHEN I'M TALKING TO YOU!"

"Tch..." Chloe waved her hand in front of her blank eyes. "I'm _blind _remember?"

"WHERE'S THE RED HEADED FREAK!" the alchemist demanded and she could practically feel his hot breath as he loomed over her.

Then something hard and metal swung through the air and contacted with the boys head, sending him sprawling on the ground "EDWARD! DON'T BE SO RUDE TO GUESTS!" Winry yelled at him, stamping her foot on the ground. "AND WHERE IS YOUR ARM!"

Edward wasn't deterred by this blow and sat up quickly repeating his previous question with a bit less volume "Where is she?"

"Cemetary I think" Chloe mused before turning and calling after the boy who had already flown out the door and down the path "BUT WITHOUT YOUR ARM SHE'LL KICK YOUR ASS! YOU REALIZE THAT RIGHT!"

She doubted he heard her or cared anyway and she sighed resting her cheek in her hand.

"What was that about?" Winry asked confused.

"Nothing" Chloe smiled closing her un seeing eyes. "The alchemist might come back a little bit more damaged though..."

* * *

It was quiet in the grave yard except for the almost silent sound of the breeze. Cara was the only one there, standing alone in the garden of hedge stones, the wind blowing through her crimson tangles. As a thief living on the street she didn't exactly clean up well. Anyone who looked at her could tell she wasn't an advocate of personal hygene. She didn't have a problem with it though, and she had never been to sensitive about others opinons of her.

The cemetary displayed tomb stones of all types. Some old, cracked, worn under years of sitting un tended, long forgotten by any living person, the names almost completely eroded away. The newer ones were well tended, some with flowers in front of them, they were the newer graves. They were of all genders, ages, and names. All with their own un told story.

There were a few in paticular that caught her attention. The graves of Sarah and David Rockbell, the young mechanics parents were among the newer and well tended graves, with almost a minature garden in front of them. Winry must've visited them often. The other that caught her eye was that of Trisha Elric.

_'I'm the Fullmetal Alchemist Edward Elric'_

It was his mom Cara guessed. She had recognized it well enough when she saw the stone. The father's grave wasn't there so he must've been still alive.

The silence was suddenly broken by the sound of running footsteps before they stopped and she heard panting a few yards behind her. "What are you doing here!"

Cara smiled to herself "Took you long enough Mr. Al-chem-ist. I was worried you were never gonna show up."

"You want something" the young state dog's voice was accusing.

"You're deductive skills amaze me." Cara smirked turning to look at him. His golden eyes glared straight into hers and she held the stare. "Obviously... it's the only reason I intervened back in the East."

"What makes you think I'll give you what you want?" he sneered.

"Cause you _owe _me" Cara smirked at the look of defeat on the alchemist's face. "And you know it too."

"Well spit it out!" he demanded after a pause.

Cara sighed and closed her eyes the smirk lingering "In the jail cell I heard the tin can mention the philosiphers stone. You know anything about it?... Paticularly it's where abouts?"

There was a long pause before he asked "And what would you use it for?"

Cara's eyes opened and she stared in disbelief at the boy "You remember those amazing deductive reasoning skills? Now would be a good time to use them."

"Right" the alchemist muttered. "The girl is blind and you have those wierd..." he paused as if searching for the right word. "...siezure... things."

Cara raised an eyebrow "Really? You pass a state alchemy exam and _that's _the best name you cam come up with? You sure know how to dissapoint."

"Oh, Shut up!" he snapped, in obvious annoyance. "What do you call them anyway?"

"I don't have a scientific term for them" Cara shrugged. "I just call them attacks."

"Why do you get them anyway?" he ventured.

"How did you lose your arm and leg?" the red head countered snidely.

The state dog flinched at her question and clenched his jaw.

Cara let a smile pass over her face "You tell me your secret _then _I'll tell you mine. That's equivalent exchange is it not?"

"Fine" he muttered. "Now what are you doing here in the cemetary anyway?" his eyes trailed to the head stone of his mother behind me and his voice turned bitter. "If you're looking for information you won't find anymore. My moms the only one of my family here."

Cara made a face "Ugh... I'm not looking for _information_. Do you really think I'm _that _petty? Don't answer that" she cut him off as he started to open his mouth. "I wasn't really trying to barge into your personal junk. I couldn't care less about the past. I just went for a walk."

"This isn't exactly a senic view" the alchemist pointed out suspiciously.

"I know." Cara turned around again and stared down at the tomb stones. "But it's quiet out here... I'm not used to all this silence. I've lived in a city most of my life. I don't know, the dead are strangly comforting to me. They tell a story all on there own without any words. We'll all be with them someday anyway... might as well get used to the quiet..."

For a moment she heard nothing but the alchemist steady breathing behind her before he replied "And... your afraid of death?"

A pensive smile found it's way onto Cara's face "Not of being dead... no." She turned back around. "So the philosiphers stone."

"I know I owe you" he sighed. "But... I don't know where it is... we have on good lead right now but we're still searching."

"Aw damn" Cara placed a hand against her forehead in theatrical frustration. "That means Chloe and I will just have to come with you."

"Whoa, whoa, wait a second" the alchemist began to protest but Cara kept going without any notice of him.

"And since I'm wanted right now it'll be difficult to keep hidden-"

"Are you just inviting yourself to-"

"And I hate sneaking around all the time-"

"You can't just-"

"And the pipsqueak is so annoying we're bound to kill eachother-"

"I'm standing right here you know!"

Cara turned back to him with a smirk "What? You didn't just think I was going to let you off the hook because you didn't know did you? Chloe and I were going to make this journey anyway but it'll be alot easier with your private access to all those files in the library. And don't think about trying to ditch because where ever you go _Chloe will find you_."

"Ok first of all: That's creepy" the alchemist said slowly. "And second of all what makes you think Al and I are just going to let you mooch off our work?"

"We aren't going to be mooching" Cara rolled her eyes. "Look, Chloe is young but she's a genius when it comes to alchemy. Half the time I have no clue what she's talking about. She can pull her weight with the research. And as for me" she shrugged. "Well, I myself am not an alchemist... I don't really care to try and understand all those complicated equations and shapes. But I'm good at strategical planning and you might've guessed I'm not a terrible fighter either. The kid and I will pull our own weight."

"Even so are you really sure you want to do this?" he asked still trying to weasel his way out of the deal. "This thing isn't a game, it's dangerous and its rough. It's not exactly for everyone you know that Red Devil?"

"I _know _it's not a game" Cara replied seriously. "I've heard it all. It's a journey for the desperate, it's dangerous, people lose everything" a small smile crossed her face. "But the kid and I... we've got nothing to lose." she looked back to him. "And my name isn't Red Devil... that's the uncreative title given to me by the public. My real name is Cara."

"And my name isn't alchemist or pipsqueak or any of those other names you call me" he returned. "It's Ed."

"Fine then _Ed" _Cara smirked.

"Alright _Cara" _Ed let a smirk grow over his own face. "And... thankyou..." he forced out the last word with great difficulty. Cara guessed it was a blow to his ego.

"Not a problem..."

* * *

_**The alliance begins...**_

**_Cara: Sure to result in several deaths._**

**_Ed: And all of them will be your fault._**

**_Cara: Will not!_**

**_Chloe: Sigh..._**

**_By the way, I may not update again before I go to this week long camp on Sunday so it might be awhile... my apologies..._**

**_Al: REVIEW!_**


	11. Chapter 10: Welcome Change of Pace

**_Ok so I've returned alive from camp! This chapter is mostly good old filler. I don't want to rush the plot to much like I think I did at the beggining of lightning strike. I shall take time to enjoy this story and add in those fillerish moments._**

**_Chloe: It's important in life to stop and smell the roses._**

**_Al: And enjoy time while we can._**

**_Cara: GRR! I'M IMPATIENT!_**

**_Ed: LET'S GET BACK TO THE ACTION!_**

**_SHUT UP! YOU'RE RUINING THE MOMENT!_**

**_Al and Chloe: Sigh..._**

**_Winry: Next chapter isn't much of filler though!_**

**_Cara: And that palm tree impersination that all of you seem to be asking about is making an entrance in about say... two or three chapters._**

**_Ed: Unfortunately..._**

**_ENVY IS AWESOME YOU MORONIC FOOLS!_**

**_Envy:...thankyou?_**

**_Ed: WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE ALREADY!_**

**_Envy: Shut up pipsqueak... REVIEW!_**

"My god he's still alive" Chloe seemed genuinly suprised when Ed and Cara entered at the fact Ed had not been further damaged.

No sooner had the words left the girls mouth, a metal blur soared past Cara's head and smacked into the alchemist's head behind her sending him to the ground with a pained cry where he lay still, his leg twitching.

"EDWARD WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO TO MY AUTOMAIL! I SLAVED OVER THAT YOU INCONSIDERATE JERK!" a very angry Winry screamed.

Cara was unsure whether to back away slowly or clap Winry on the back for the excellent shot. She settled instead for sardonic, hysterical laughter.

"Well never mind" Chloe sighed, slapping a hand to her forehead.

"WINRY WHAT THE HELL!" Ed sat up fuming, a huge bump already forming on his head. "ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME!"

"Apparantly you two have been trying to kill yourselves, what have you been up to!"

Ed flinched away guiltily before muttering "That's none of your consern Winry."

She glared at him for a second before sighing "You're nothing but trouble."

As the blonde girl began to work on Ed's measurements Cara wandered over to sit beside Chloe at the kitchen table, right next to the crate full of armor. "Quite a show huh?"

Chloe rolled her eyes "You didn't kill him. I'm impressed."

"Shut it shrimp."

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING SMALL!" Ed snapped from the couch.

Cara blinked "I was referring to CHloe, it's one of her nicknames" she flashed a smirk. "You're nick name is pipsqueak."

"GAH!"

"Sorry about my brother" Cara jumped as the voice came from the armored shell, forgeting that it was a person for a moment. "I don't think we've really been introduced. I'm Edward's younger brother Alphonse."

Cara raised an eyebrow "Younger?"

"YES YOUNGER" Ed practically exploded with rage.

" Ed hold still!" Winry demanded.

"It was just a simple question brother!" Al pleaded.

"SHE WAS INFERRING I WAS SHORT!"

"What's wrong with him?" Cara whispered behind her hand. "He's starting to freak me out."

Al chuckled slightly "Brother just as a little temper and he tends to over react to some things."

"I DO NOT!"

"You aren't defending yourself very well pipsqueak" Cara grinned.

"I AM NOT A-"

"EDWARD SIT STILL!" Winry boomed, swinging her wrench through the air, knocking the alchemist on the head. She continued to take measurments on the only half concious Ed as Cara continued to talk with Al and Chloe.

"So what happened?" Chloe asked.

"We reached an arrangement." Cara crossed her arms and leaned back in her chair. "Since these two owe us we are now traveling with them until they locate the philosiphers stone and we'll be helping them out too."

"Really?" Al seemed suprised. "How did you get brother to agree to that anyway?"

"His ego is to mazzive to bear oweing a simple thief like me there for he wants to pay off the debt" Cara shrugged with a smirk. "And I made it quite clear to him that if he tried to run that Chloe would find him."

"Why do you always use me for your blackmail?" Chloe sighed, banging her head down on the table.

"Because I'm manipulative, deceptive and have no moral or ethical code of course" Cara beamed.

"And only you would boast about that" Chloe rubbed her temples.

"Uh Chloe?" Al asked tentativly. "Since we're all working with eachother now... I'd really like to know... how does your alchemy work? I mean, I've been wondering ever since we met you guys that day..."

Chloe raised an eyebrow questioningly at me and I nodded "Yeah go ahead kid."

She unstrapped her right shoe and showed the bottom to Al "Transmutation circles on my feet. They take vibrations in the earth and amplify them so that I can fell where things are, since their movement, and it's highly sensative to more conductive materials like metal so I can since you guys really well. It took alot of getting used to but I can see almost as well as all you people now, maybe even better."

Cara usually got lost at this point in the conversation but Al seemed to completely get it.

"Oh I see." he studied the drawings. "Wow... it's a complicated equation though and combination of circles. How'd you figure out how to do all this?"

"Oh I didn't" Chloe smiled and pulled her shoe back on. "It was my older brother actually. He's the one who came up with most of it. I had to put a few touches on the work but he did most of it. He was blind too."

"Really?" Cara hadn't actually heard this before. In fact the topic of either of their families had never come up. Cara had never even asked how she came up with the formula because she didn't understand it enough to care.

"Yeah, but he wasn't born with it" Chloe rested her chin in her hands. "It was a freak accident during one of his alchemy expieriments and his eyes got really messed up and had to be removed. He got glass eyeballs to hide it and all but he wanted to see so he came up with this."

"So the rest of your family were alchemists?" Al asked.

"Ah, no. Just my brother, me and also my older sister. My parents and my other two brothers aren't"

"Big family" Cara whistled.

"What about you?" Al asked and Cara's face turned stony.

"...Sorry but I don't talk much about them... it's not interesting anyway."

"...Oh... I'm sorry."

"Nah, don't worry about it." Cara patted her right hand on the metal shoulder.

"What happened to your hand?" Al asked. "I saw it on you when we first fought."

_Damn his observation skills_ Cara thought as she withdrew her hand and laughed the question away "Ah, nothing. Just a bad cut I'm fine."

At least the kid wasn't observant enough to detect her lying.

She had always been good at decieving people.

* * *

The next three days consisted of waiting. Ed had to wait to get his arm back so that he could fix Al before they could return to Central. Cara didn't mind that much funny enough. It was nice to be able to relax away from the city adn now that her mind was at ease about her and Ed's agreement she was feeling pretty relaxed...

Except of course when Major Armstrong was around.

It was comical the way he acted, an egotistical, loud ton of muscel who sparkled. He always talked about the way different tasks were passed down his family line for generations and such, his volume varrying between loud, extremely loud and booming. He was a nice enough guy in Cara's opinion though, luckily not picking up the connection between her and the persona of the 'Red Devil'.

But even he couldn't deter the calm mood of the Risenbol fields. In fact the only one who seemed to not enjoy the waiting was Ed, constantly fidgeting and complaining how he wanted to get to the first branch library. If it got too annoying Cara would often wack him over the head.

She herself was anxious to find the philosiphers stone. The sooner she got rid of her attacks the better and time was of the essence... but there was something oddly surreal and... nice about staying in a house, eating a full meal every day and not having to keep on watch for cops every second. It was a nice welcome change of pace. Cara couldn't really remember the last time she relaxed in her years of being a run away.

Finally the arm and leg were both finished and Cara was able to enjoy watching Ed go through the painful process of attaching the automail limbs watching un helpfully from the corner with a casual smirk.

"You are a sadist" Chloe stated bluntly with a sigh.

"What else is new?" Cara rolled her eyes. "You're blind? Ed's short?"

"DON'T MAKE FUN OF A PERSONS HIEGHT WHEN THEY'RE IN PAIN- AUGH!" Ed yelled out as the nerves connected again.

"Sorry? What was that?" Cara placed a hand to her ear. "I'm afraid you'll have to speak up a bit more."

Ed managed to shoot the red head the bird with his flesh hand before gritting his teeth againt the pain.

"I'm sad that we're going to leave" Chloe sighed, sitting on the porch steps next to Cara.

The red head leaned back on her elbows, wearing a bored expression "Tch... I'm not. It's time we got this show on the road."

"Liar." Chloe smiled, her eyes closed.

This caught Cara by suprise "What? Am I really losing my touch?"

"Nah, I don't need to sense it to know that your lying." Chloe said simply. "I know you've enjoyed this down time here. And you like Winry and Pinako don't you?"

"They're fine..." Cara shrugged. "As far as people go I mean."

"That's like a full fledged compliment from you."

"Shut it."

"Hey guys!" Cara turned to see Al trotting twoards them, good as new. His brother followed closely behind, his new automail arm stuffed in his pocket and a wry smile drawn across his face. "I'm fixed now!"

"Great." Chloe beamed.

"So we're leaving tomorrow then?" Cara grinned.

Ed sighed "Ugh... how am I going to explain keeping you around."

"You think we might be helpful to your quest for the philosiphers stone and you think Chloe might have some hidden connection to it that she's not telling because she lost a large portion of her memory and you hope the lost thoughts might have some clues" Cara said smoothly.

Ed blinked "Wha... do you come up with cover stories like this often?"

"I'm just a good liar." Cara shrugged.

"Yeah, and why am I once again the one involved in your conspiracy theories." Chloe grumbled.

"Because you're peculiar, you can see and your blind and because I can." Cara smirked patting the kid on the head.

"Right, so how about it Al?" Ed turned to his younger brother. "How about we have our traditional sparring match."

"Sparring match?" Cara raised an eyebrow.

"Our teacher always said: To train the mind we have to train the body" Al recited. "We have occasional spars to keep us in shape. Brother has never beaten me once though."

"Oh shutup." Ed rolled his eyes.

"Well then pipsqueak" Cara flashed an evil grin. "Assuming your up to more than one ass kicking I would like a rematch from our previous encounter." she cracked her neck. "I really don't want to get sloppy."

"I'll gladly take you on strawberry patch." Ed's eyes narrowed. "And I'll win!" He laughed when Cara's eyes widened at this new nickname. "Ha! You keep up with calling me short so I'm going to give you your own name!"

"All to do with my hair, geez" Cara sighed, running her hair through the tangles. "Are people just prejudice against red heads or something cause it seems to be the only thing my names are associated with."

"That and your moral code... or lack there of" Chloe grinned.

"Quiet shrimp."

Al beat Ed in their fight, which wasn't a suprise, though Ed did last a pretty long time. When the alchemist recovered from an unceremonious landing on the grass he motioned to Cara from where she sat on the porch.

"Ok strawberry patch! Bring it on!"

"Aren't you cocky pipsqueak" Cara jumped to her feet and took a stance a few yards away from the alchemy "I do recall I almost beat you in our last fight. In fact if I hadn't had that dumb attack I would've" she bent her knees in preparation.

"So what?" Ed smirked, crouching slightly as well, raising his hands at the ready in front of him. "Maybe you'll have another one and I'll win... or maybe I don't even need that. I'll beat you all by myself."

"Dare to dream" Cara narrowed her eyes in concentration and waited.

She had a rule when it came to fighting one on one. If the opponent seemed cocky or confident she always let them make the first move. It would be easier to counter. If it was calmer laid back person however she made a first move so that they didn't have time to plan like most people of that personality would. Edward was no doubt under the confident personality, she barely even needed to think about that.

It was a good five seconds before Ed lunged and hard kick at the red head's ribs. She easily flipped back out of the way before propelling herself forward before the blonde had time to attack again. Ed managed to barely twist out of the way of her punch to the gut before countering with a blow twoards her head. She blocked the blow with her hand and attempted to gain control of Ed's arm but he swiped her legs out from under her. She held onto his wrist as she fell but he managed to roll as he landed and come up in a crouch again.

The fight was actually pretty evenly matched. Cara didn't want it to end to quickly anyway, the boy was the closest she had found to an equal in her fighting. She wanted to conserve energy too so she was trying not to go all out. An idea suddenly occured to her. Since after all decieving was a skill of hers why not utilize it a bit?

She cartwheeled smoothly away from Ed's punch and landed lightly a few yards away grinning before dropping to her knees and clutching her chest, a pained expression coming over her face as she did.

"Hey are you ok?" Ed asked stopping his attack and running twoards her. "What-"

He was cut off as Cara dropped the act, grinning mischeviously. She swiped her elbow up, jamming it into his stomach and sending him reeling back. Before Ed could get his balance again the red head lunged forward and swiped his feet out from under him.

Seconds later Ed was lying on his back, panting heavily and the red head was crouched over him, one hand pinning his automail arm to the grass and her other fore arm pressed lightly against his wind pipe.

"You cheated." Ed accused. "Faking an attack."

"Ah, there's no cheating in the real world pipsqueak" Cara smirked knowingly. "If an enemy has a chance to fight they will use any means nessasary. I knew you would drop your gaurd when I faked an attack, even if you don't like me that much. Thus I beat you. You should remember that."

"Fine..." Ed growled. "You can let me up now." He struggled to move his automail arm.

"Nope" Cara said cheerfully. "I want to give you a minute to wallow in your shame."

"Screw you" Ed growled, jerking at his automail. "God, how can you hold that down with just one arm? You don't look that strong!"

"I'm... not that strong." Cara blinked. "Maybe your automail is still getting used to the nerves and isn't quite as strong as it should be."

"I guess" Ed muttered.

Cara sighed and jumped off him "That was fun." She grinned down at the brooding alchemist and gave a mock pout "Ah, whats with the glum look? Don't want to admit you were beaten by a girl Goldielocks?"

It took Ed a minute to register this "Gold...die... locks..." he fumed and jumped to his feet before hurrying after and already running Cara "TAKE THAT BACK STRAWBERRY PATCH! COME BACK HERE DAMN IT!"

Chloe and Al sighed in unison at their older companions.

* * *

The next morning the group of four and Armstrong said their good byes to Winry and Pinako.

"Don't do anything too dangerous now Ed." Pinako warned.

"And don't go breaking your automail so easily!" Winry added adimently. "Chloe I expect you to make sure he's doing the proper maintnence."

"Yes ma'am" Chloe beamed, with a mock salute.

"Oh great, a miny gear head." Ed groaned.

"Shutup alchemy freak" Winry wacked him lightly over the head. "Don't be a stranger ok."

"Yeah sure." Ed waved and started to walk away "See ya."

"By Winry! By Granny!" Al called cheerfully.

Cara started to follow the others but turned back and smiled "Thanks for the hospitality Winry; Pinako. I hope we see you again some time."

"Yeah, don't be afraid to drop in." Winry returned the smile. "It was nice meeting you. Keep Ed out of trouble."

"Tch" Cara rolled her eyes with a grin. "That's a job left best to the younger ones." And with that she hurried off after the pipsqueak, the shrimp, the armor and the sparkling tower of muscle and headed twoards the station.

She had to admit, it had been fun staying out in Risenbol and relaxing.

_Now back to the real world._

_**Hope you enjoyed! Sorry it took so long.**_

**_Cara: But we gave you a long chapter so be happy!_**

**_Chloe: REVIEW!_**


	12. Chapter 11: Mutual Understanding

**__****Ok so back to the plot!**

**_Chloe: This chapter is pretty important._**

**_Cara: Grr..._**

**_Ed: What's with you?_**

**_Oh she just read the rough draft of the chapter._**

**_Al: Oh if that's all... wait... so the negative reaction implies?_**

**_Ed: Either just she's screwed or we're all screwed._**

**_Chloe: Sigh... Review!_**

"Mph" Cara jumped off the train and gave a long strech, cracking her neck a few times and rolling her shoulders back. "Man I hate trains. Someone should invest in comfy seats for those things. That would be a good investment. Better than making all those fancy watches" she gestured to Ed's military pocket watch.

"This is what gives us our identity of a state alchemist!" Ed protested.

"Couldn't you just carry a certificate or something? They're lighter." She flashed a smirk. "Or better yet a _dog _tag."

"Oh real funny!"

"I know."

"That was sarcasm strawberry patch!"

"Get off your high horse pipsqueak! It's not making you any taller!"

"WHY YOU-"

"Brother please" Al sighed.

"Yeah Cara, stop provoking the midget" Chloe sighed.

"What was that shrimp?" Ed growled looming over Chloe. "I'm taller than you, you know!"

"I couldn't tell..."

"Are you blind!" Ed stopped suddenly realizing what he'd just said. "Oh wait..."

"Duh" Chloe waved a hand in front of her eyes. "Apparently you are too."

"CHILDREN MUSTN'T QUARRAL!" Armstrong boomed coming between the two.

"Yes children stop quarraling" Cara smirked.

"I AM NOT A CHILD!" Ed shouted.

"Oh sorry the hight confused me."

"Why you-"

As the argument continued Al sighed and stood next to Chloe "They've been at this the whole train ride... you'd think it would get tiring after awhile."

"I can see it getting tiring for Ed." Chloe speculated. "He's the one who keeps jumping around like a maniac and yelling his lungs out."

"Yeah, Cara seems to just be leading him on..." Al nodded. "She doesn't really care what he's saying."

"Give it a few thousand times and I'm sure the strawberry patch nickname will start annoying her." Chloe shrugged. "But don't count on her getting tired of teasing Ed. I wouldn't get tired either if I could see it It seems like it would be quite entertaining to watch."

"Brother's ranting get's old after the five hundreth time."

"Guess you see it alot huh?"

"Every day."

"Lots of people call him short."

"Yeah."

"Mistake him for a kid?"

"All the time."

"Property damage?"

"Occasionally."

"Nice brother."

"You get used to it."

"SHUT UP STRAWBERRY PATCH!" Ed was still yelling.

"My, my are your vocal chords going out yet?" Cara sighed. "Because my ear drums could use a break."

"GOOD!"

"I'm unsure of what to do." Armstrong seemed very flustered. "It never ends."

"Give it a few hours, Cara will eventually get bored." Chloe muttered.

There were suddenly a series of footsteps approaching and Cara heard voices saying "There! That's the Red Devil! Arrest her!"

"Red devil?" Armstrong looked around. "Where?"

"Oh... this is awkward." Cara smacked her forehead. "Damnit... Chloe hide!"

"Where?" she looked around. "We're in a train station full of people!"

"Get inside Alphonse!... Oh god that sounded wierd." Cara muttered.

"Right!" and before the armor could protest, Chloe had clammered up, removed his helmet and jumped inside.

"Oh that's so...creepy!" Al said, understandably wierded out.

"Keep quiet!" Cara hissed. "Don't let Chloe out!"

"Wait, what are you going to-" Chloe's voice came but Cara smirked.

"Wish me luck." and took off running through the station.

"Cara!" Chloe cried. "Don't!"

"Damn it! Strawberry patch!" Ed growled and ran after the red head.

Cara heard multiple footsteps behind her and voices shouting "Stop!" and "Halt!" or even "Come quietly!"

"God, you'd think I wasn't a criminal the way they're expecting me to behave." she muttered to herself, picking up her speed. She skidded around a corner, almost knocking in to a small family "Sorry! Got to run!"

Then up the street she saw the other soldiers, guns at the ready. With a growl she skidded to a stop a few yards away from them. The other footsteps were fast approaching behind her. She looked around for a way of escape but there was none.

"End of the line Red Devil" she looked to the center of the line of soldiers and saw an older, broad shouldered man, his hands were folded behind his back very calmly and he had an eyepatch over one eye.

Eyes narrowed, Cara opened her mouth to reply but felt two pairs of hands grab each of her arms in a tight grip and held them behind her back. A growling sound resounded in her throat and she glared at the eye patch man "Who the Hell are you!"

"Show respect you insolent thief" one of the men standing beside the eye patch soldier yelled. "This is the-"

The eye patch man raised a hand calmly "Now, now soldier. I take no offense to simple profanities." his eye narrowed. "I do however take offense to mass ammounts of thievery, which is what you are guilty of."

"Really? I wasn't aware." Cara rolled her eyes.

"Shut up!" the man who had earlier stuck up for the man with they eye patch came forward and slapped her across the face. "For your crimes you are to face you will be convicted and sentenced to prision! Unless of course you could pay a very large fine which I doubt you can street rat!"

"Uh... don't criminals usually get, I don't know, a fair trial?" Cara asked keeping her face light. "And child abuse is illeagal sir don't you know that?"

"Silence!" the angry man yelled, his face almost turning the color of Cara's hair. "Unless you could pay then-"

"How much!"

Shocked by the familier voice Cara turned her head to see Ed standing at the edge of the crowd that had gathered "Uh... pipsqueak what are you..."

"Nothing you can pay!" the angry man snapped.

Ed unclipped his watch and tossed it at the man "Take whatever ammount it is out of the Fullmetal Alchemist's research fund."

A chorus of murmurs broke out among the crowd and soldiers and the only one not talking for once was Cara, whose gold eyes had gone wide. She wasn't sure whether to laugh or refer Ed to a mental hospital.

"And why." the eye patch man stepped forward. "Are you willing to do that?"

Ed drew in a sharp breath "Fuher Bradley?"

"Fuher!" Cara whirled back to face the eye patch man. "The head of the country? What's he doing here?"

"I live in Central naturally" Bradley said calmly. "I was out and about." he turned his one eyed gaze back on Ed. "I'll ask again Fullmetal, why are you willing to pay this fine."

Ed steeled his gaze and clenched his jaw "She might be a key factor in helping with my brother and I's journey and we need her around sir. No disrespect is meant... and she won't be thieving any more sir."

There was a long silence before the Fuher smiled "Alright. Release the young thief."

Ed stared "Uh... you accepted that rather kind of easily."

"As long as we are getting the fine money and you can swear that she won't be stealing again then I trust you" the Fuher said simply before looking to the incredibly flustered soldier. "Take the pocket watch and with draw the ammount you need."

"Bu... bu..."

"That's an order soldier."

"...Sir!"

Cara rolled her soldiers and straightened as she was released flashing a bright grin at her previous captors "Thanks alot guys." before turning back to stare at Ed who stood a few yards away from her, a smug lookon his face, his arms crossed.

"Well now," he smirked. "I sure hope that fine of yours isn't too much strawberry patch. We wouldn't want you slowing down our research."

"Why... did you do that?" Cara finally managed to ask, genuine suprise on her face.

"Because I don't like owing a thief" Ed grinned. "Now I think I'm clear."

Cara stared for a minute before a smirk returned "Ha! Yeah right! As I recall I saved your life two times! That only covers one! You still owe me Ed."

"Aw man" he groaned. "Well at least there's a small victory here."

"What's that?" Cara raised an eyebrow.

"You just called me by my actual name."

Cara blinked "I did not! Apparently all that yelling of yours bursted _your _ear drums pipsqueak!"

"Say that again strawberry patch!"

"Well that was interesting." Chloe smiled climbing out of Al and landing softly on the ground.

"Yeah... never thought I'd see that in all honesty" Al agreed. "Think they'll be friends now?"

"Not in a million years" Chloe sighed shaking her head. "But I think they have a mutual understanding..."

"It's a start."

"Yeah..."

* * *

_**Cara: Yeah, I almost got arrested.**_

**_Ed: And I saved your ass._**

**_Cara: Pipsqueak..._**

**_Ed: Strawberry patch..._**

**_GIVE IT A REST DAMNIT!_**

**_Both: Yes ma'am..._**

**_Chloe: Review!_**


	13. Chapter 12: Strange Kindness

_**Next chapter!**_

**_Chloe: In which we do a bunch of alchemy research_**

**_Cara: And I understand none of it._**

**_Ed: Basically..._**

**_Al: Review!_**

"Elrics! Ms. Chloe and Cara!" Armstrong approached the four in the street, two other officers behind him. "Are you alright? What happened?"

"...Um..." Cara searched for the right words. "I went for... a run... and the military decided to join in... funny huh?"

"We'll explain later." Ed summarized with a sigh.

"Oh, alright" he stepped aside and gestured to the officers behind him. "These are your new body gaurds: Second Leutinant Maria Ross and Sergant Denny Block."

"Fullmetal Alchemist, it is nice to meet you" they both saluted in unison.

"Cool, a possy." Cara deadpanned.

"Ah major!" Ed complained. "I'm all fixed now! Why the heck do we still need body gaurds?"

"There have been a lot of sightings of Scar in Central lately" Maria Ross, a woman with short dark brown hair and a mole under her left eye, explained with a sigh. "As a state alchemist... you're in need of protection."

"Look on the bright side pipsqueak" Cara smirked. "If someone else saves you from Scar then I won't have to and you won't owe me."

"Why are you assuming I'll need to be saved!" Ed snapped before turning to leave. "Fine, I just hope you two don't slow me down."

"Yep! To the First branch then!" Cara followed.

"Sorry about them..." Al and Chloe sighed in unison. This seemed to be a recurring theme since ironically the older two of the four were the less responsible ones.

As it turned out however, the first branch had been reduced to a pile of ashes.

"You've got to be kidding" Ed hissed, picking up a burnt book and watching it crumble in his fingers. "Why now! Who did this?"

"It wasn't me I _swear_." Cara said raising her hands in defense and leaning against the wall. "While do enjoy fire and books don't hold much interest to me I just steal things, rip people off, lie, cheat and... I'm not stating my case very well am I?"

"No... you should probably work on that." Ed sighed.

"Well this sucks" Chloe muttered. "Now what?"

Ed stood up, a determined look on his face. "I'm going to transmute the ashes back to their origional form!"

"Can he do that?" Cara whispered behind her hand at Chloe.

"...No... should I tell him?"

"Nah, let's just watch and marvel at his failure at life."

Ed clapped his hands together and as if by cruel irony, a gust of wind swept by and blew the ashes away.

"Wow, strong breeze, was that what we were supposed to be watching?" Denny bloch asked innocently.

"No, that was a natural phenomonon." Cara sighed clapping her hands and smirking. "Mother nature: 1, Ed: 0."

* * *

Later however they recieved a tip from a librarian that a woman who they had previously fired because she read too much (Cara found this ironic since usually a love of books would seem like a job _requirement_) and a desperate Ed decided to see if she could help.

"Somehow I doubt this will help" Cara sighed as they knocked on the door. "What person would read alchemy notes for fun? No one is that messed up."

Ross cautiously opened the door when no one replied- And everyone gasped as they were greeted by the sight of a literal jungle of books, there didn't even really seem to be walking space in the tiny apartment. It looked like a library had thrown up.

"I take it all back, this person is obviously completely insane" Cara blinked.

"Um... Ms. Sheska?" Bloch called cautiously as the group edged their way through the maze of literature.

"Is someone really living in here?" Ross asked a completely legitamate question.

"I don't know but either they like the sight of dead trees or they actually _read _all this stuff... I'm not sure which." Cara muttered.

"I'm pretty sure it's not humanly possible to read this much" Chloe murmured weakly.

Al suddenly stopped "Uh guys... do you hear that?"

Everyone cocked their heads to the side and listened intently for the noise Al claimed he heard. Sure enough there was a small and feeble cry coming from under a massive avalanche of books. "Is someone there? Please help me!"

"Under the books!" Ed cried.

"Oh my!" Ross gasped.

"Dig!" Bloch lept forward and began digging.

"Chloe" Cara sighed.

"Right" she slammed her foot against the ground and the books were scattered by the wooden fists potruding from the floor boards. "Seriously, who the heck would want 'death by book avalanche' written on their tomb stone?" the wood fist's retracted again at another tap of her foot.

A mousy girl with messy brown pig tails and green eyes obscured by glasses was sitting on the floor where the books used to be bowing frantically in gratitude. "Oh thank you so much! I thought I was going to suffocate under there" she adjusted her glasses and took a deep breath "Really, thanks. They always did say I'd die with my head in a book... I just never thought they meant it uh... literally."

"I would believe that" Cara muttered.

"Uh your welcome, listen Sheska, didn't you used to work at the first branch?" Ed asked.

"Yes that's right" Sheska nodded before sighing. "Unfortunately they fired me for what they called lack luster performance, I.E. reading instead of doing my work. I needed that job. My mom is sick and I've got to pay her bills but surrounded by all of those books I just couldn't help myself."

"I'm sorry to hear that" Ed said quickly, sounding about as sorry as a guy who had bumped into someone on the way to a job he was an hour late for. "Listen I'll cut to the chase, while you working there did you happen to see any books by a Tim Marco? It would probably be a hand bound research journal."

"Hmm, Tim Marco" Sheska tapped her chin in thought before replying "Oh yes! I remember! It was a leather bound journal, lots of hand written pages, very detailed."

"Huh, lucky." Cara's eye brows raised.

"Well, I remember all the books there... especially the ones in the back." Sheska explained.

The red head smacked a hand to her forehead "Not so lucky."

"That means it burned for sure" Ed moaned hopelessly.

"Guess we're just not meant to read it" Al murmured.

"Sorry about that guys" Sheska sighed sympathetically. "I know how it is when you can't find that one book your looking for. It's a tragic story I'm all to familier with. I once scaled the hieghts and plunged the depths of the highest mountain of books for three whole days but still couldn't find that one great piece of literature that I was looking for. It's so tragic. So very, very tragic" she looked like she was about to cry.

"I think there is something seriously wrong with that girl." Cara hissed behind her hand.

"Yes, but it's so interesting." Chloe whispered back.

"Thanks for your help anyway Sheska" Ed sighed managing a smile though he was obviously still depressed and kind of wierded out.

"So you wanted to read it?" she asked instantly snapping out of her sorrow.

"Yeah, but it's gone now" Ed stood.

"Well uh..." Sheska said timidly, raising a finger. "Actually if you really wanted to read them I could re produce the whole book for you no problem. I have a photographic memory you see so I can re produce the contents of any book I've ever read."

"That's messed up." Cara muttered.

"Hey me too!" Chloe beamed.

"Really?" Sheska asked turning to face Chloe.

Cara casually wacked the giggling Chloe over the head "Please ignore the blind girl's tasteless jokes."

"Why didn't you mention that before?" Ed asked, dumbfounded.

"Well most people have made fun of me for it" she admited embarrased.

"Don't worry Sheska, we all get made fun of. Ed for his hieght, Chloe for her blind jokes and me for my hair!" Cara beamed patting Sheska on the shoulder.

"I'm not SHORT!" Ed snapped.

"My blind jokes are hilarious" Chloe protested.

"What about me?" Al asked.

"I don't know, you're just the sensible, younger and _much _taller older brother. You don't have anything to make fun of." Cara shrugged.

"SAY THAT AGAIN!" Ed exploded.

"I have no clue what you people are talking about" Sheska sighed. "But I'll copy the book."

* * *

Three days later Sheska produced the group with a huge stack of written material all of which she claimed to be Tim Marco's notes but as it turned out the contents of these notes were a little bit... different then they expected.

"A table spoon of sugar, a pinch of salt, a dash of pepper..." Ross read, her eyebrows raised skeptically.

"Are you sure you got the right book?" Bloch asked Sheska.

"Absolutely!" she said firmly, suprised anyone would question her accuracy. "Every word!"

"Well this soup sounds pretty good to his credit" Cara mused.

"Ooh can I see them" Chloe grinned.

"Try asking again and see what happens you mischievious, tasteless, little imp." Cara warned.

Chloe smiled innocently "But I _love _reading."

"Yes and I love hitting people over the head. Making a connection?"

"Alright, alright."

"It was all for not" Ross sighed. "Sorry Fullmetal."

"I don't know" Ed mused over the notes, a knowing smirk on his face. "Sheska, you're sure this is an exact copy of Marco's notes?"

"Yes I'm positive." she nodded.

"You've been a great help." Ed scribbled on a piece of paper and handed it, along with his pocket watch, to Ross. "Take this down to the state alchemist treasury and have them with draw that ammount from my research fund Lieutinant."

"That research fund of yours is going to get awfully dry pipsqueak." Cara noted, raising her eyebrow.

"Yeah, thanks to you." Ed rolled his eyes. "Let's go Al."

"Ok brother!"

"This should be fun" Chloe grinned running after the boys.

"I have no idea how the cook books going to help us" Cara shrugged. "But ok!"

* * *

"Fullmetal wait!" Ross blocked Edward's path on the way to the main library "Where are you going now?"

"We're going to hole up in the Central library's main building for now" Ed explained shifting the research materials that he held under his arm. "After all, they've got the best resources for this kind of work."

"No way, a library was Scar's last target and he's still at large." Ross protested. "We can't offer you proper security in that type of public venue and he could target you again!"

"Before or after he recovers from being burned alive?" Cara asked, raising an eyebrow.

"She has a point" Chloe conceded.

"Figuring out how to do your job is your problem Ross. Finding the philosiphers stone is mine" Ed stormed past.

"Please try to understand" Al pleaded. "We finally have a lead." He followed quickly after his brother.

"At ease, angry military woman" Cara smirked. "If Scar appears, trust me, this kid will know."

"Yeah, just listen for my anguish screams" Chloe muttered, tapping her head.

"Who are you two anyway?" Ross asked quizzically. "Why are you with the Elric's?"

"That is an interesting story" Cara smiled brightly. "One that I am going to avoid telling you because you are angry and part of the military." she began to walk after the brothers, raising her hand in farewell. "Good luck with that whole security thing! Hope you figure it out _before _Scar's urge to destroy books returns!"

"You're every honest adult's nightmare" Chloe muttered.

Cara shrugged "Meh, she needs to loosen up. She kind of annoys me."

* * *

"So these are Marco's notes" Ed said looking over the piles of copied paper with a grin. "On the surface they appear to be an ordinary cook book. It makes since, Marco didn't want just anyone to read these notes so he wrote it in code. As for the cooking disguise, you know what they say, alchemy was born in the kitchen! So now all we have to do is crack this secret language of his, no sweat."

"That sounds complicated" Cara muttered.

"To you." Ed rolled his eyes. "Let's get to work."

"This is the part I can't help you guys" Cara sighed sitting down in a chair. "Not that I'm being lazy or anything but I seriously don't understand alchemy. You'll have to rely on the shrimp to help you on this."

"Though to my credit I _am _a genius" Chloe grinned.

"Ok, you take this stack" Ed handed it to her.

"I'm also blind" Chloe reminded.

Ed smacked a hand to his forehead "Right. We'll have to collaborate out loud."

"Ooh joy, I can't wait to be thoroughly confused" Cara leaned back in her chair. "If you need me, I'll be asleep."

Hours later Ed, Al and Chloe looked just about brain fryed and Cara herself was bored to death. All day long, all she was hearing was alchemy and scientific mumbo jumbo that she couldn't make sense of if she _wanted _to try.

"So much for the no sweat thing" Ed groaned. "Do some research, make a few coloums, I thought it would be easy."

"I'm tired too" Chloe sighed. "My brain feels like it's been poached."

"We should keep going though" Ed held a piece of paper up in front of Chloe and pointed to a line on the paper. "What do you think about this?"

"I'm going to guess that was you turning the page of a book or rustling a piece of paper." Chloe deadpanned, still staring blankly off into space. "Apparently you forgot I have a slight problem with reading when you're brain melted."

"Ugh, I am tired aren't I?" Ed plopped his head down onto the table.

"Me too." Cara smirked.

"All you've been doing is sleeping!" Ed protested.

"All the intellect and nerdiness going on in this room is sapping my energy."

"We aren't nerds!"

"Yes you are!"

The door suddenly flew open and in strode a man in the usual blue military garb, grinning ear to ear. He had glasses that hid friendly, hazel eyes and black hair. "Wakey wakey! So how you doing there boys?"

"Leutinant colonel Hughes" Ed's fatigue seemed to instantly vanish. "What's a matter? Been too busy to come say hello?"

"It's these damn Scar sightings lately." Hughes chuckled with a shrug. "He's got us chasing our own tails." his eyes flitted to Chloe. "Whose this?"

"I'm Chloe" the girl smiled. "It's nice to meet you, sir. The psycho red head over there is Cara."

"Sup." Cara waved once, smirking a bit.

"They're helping us on our search" Ed explained. "Though Cara hasn't been helping that much."

"I'm not a freaking _ALCHEMIST _damnit!" Cara snapped. "Lay off! Just because I'm _normal_-"

"You do not qualify as normal."

"Shut it pipsqueak! We can't all be child prodegies!"

"Ok, easy there" Hughes laughed and shook his head before gazing at Cara. "Hmm, you seem familier... oh right, you nearly ran my family and I over the other day."

"Oh..." Cara laughed nervously. "That was you? Sorry about that... I was uh... in a rush."

"Yes guess the Red Devil had a need to be in a rush huh?" he smiled conspiritorily.

"Uh... How did you know that exactly?" Cara asked, her eyebrows raising skyward.

"I'm the head of the investigations department, and you've been giving us a bit of trouble for awhile" he smiled. "Don't worry, if you're with Ed here I trust you."

"That's not a good idea sir" Chloe interjected.

"Your confidence in me is amazing kid." Cara rolled her eyes.

"Leutinant Colonel Hughes" Ross had entered the room, saluting, an expression that hinted to Cara that she was about to try and pull the Ed and Al aren't safe here card again. "If there were too be an attack here we could not properly garuntee the safety of these two boys or the girls. They should return to Central command immediately."

"I get the funny feeling I'm not welcome there" Cara muttered.

"I told you Ross!" Ed snapped, annoyed. "Don't get in my way!"

"As long as Scar is on the loose, security of state alchemists must be a top priority" Ross continued despite Edward's protests.

"Sorry Ed" Hughes sighed. "But she does have a point."

"Don't say that!" Ed complained.

"Well that isn't really my area of juristiction. Why don't you take it up with Major Armstrong?" he asked, begging a chorus of protests.

"No anything but Armstrong!" Ed pleaded.

"He'll kill us all with his pink sparkles!" Cara blinked. "Wow, didn't think _that _was a sentence that would come out of my mouth today."

"S-sir please we really don't have to do that" Ross protested, her voice raising a few octaves before she cleared her throat, looking slightly embarassed at her outburst.

"What I'd like to do is give you extra protection Ed" Hughes sighed, scratching the back of his head. "But between Scar and struggling to replace all the case files that burned down with the first branch, my men are all tied up."

"All your case files?" Ed stared. "They were at the first branch too?"

"Yeah, everything" Hughes nodded, dejectidly.

"Gee, if only there was a book worm with a photographic memory, book crazy enough to read all the case files" Cara mused with a smirk.

Ed grinned, obviously thinking the same thing "You're in luck."

* * *

Not to much time later Ed had set Sheska up with a job working to replace the case files for Colonel Hughes. Cara had a feeling that job was going to get _really _boring after awhile but with the book worm, who knew?

She was leaning against the wall outside the house when she heard the door open and Ross running after Hughes down the porch steps, probably in another attempt to convince him it was a bad idea to let the research continue. "Just a minute Lieutinant colonel!"

Cara heard Hughes sigh "Lieutinant Ross... I know full well what you're going to say to me now... but I know those boys too. They'll do what ever it takes to get what they want whether we give them permission or not. All we can do is support them in anyway we can. I expect your cooperation."

"I can't agree with you just giving them a blank ticket!" Ross protested, very uncooperativly. "And encouraging them to continue despite all of the danger that is involved. With all due respect sir, they're only children!"

"There's more going on here than you understand" Hughes answered calmly. "Those children may have the ability to find something that no one else can. This state's future is in their hands and as adults it's our job to enable them. When you have kids, you'll understand."

Cara couldn't help but be suprised at the confidence Hughes seemed to have in "children". It was a quality of humility that you didn't find much in adults. They tended to think children lacked the capasity to understand because they're pride could blind them. Cara thought Chloe understood more about life then any adult she knew, granted she wasn't on a friendly basis with many adults. Chloe had a deep understanding about human nature that was interesting to find in a twelve year old.

And this guy Hughes was really encouraging children. It was... oddly funny, but nice to hear. A small smile crept onto Cara's face as she studied the stone ground. Maybe this military guy was all right.

"Eavesdropping?"

She jumped and whirled to see Hughes smiling at her, recovering quickly with a smirk "Yeah, nice speech by the way."

"I do try" he smiled. "So you aren't taking part in the research?"

"God no" Cara shook her head. "I don't know a first thing about alchemy."

"Ah, I know how you feel" Hughes chuckled. "Two good friends of mine are alchemists so it's hard for a normal person like me, you know?"

"Yeah" Cara sighed. "Guess it's back to sitting around and listening to alchemic blabber again tommorow."

"...You know, if you'd like you could come and stay with my family." Hughes offered.

Cara stared at him in disbelief at the sudden offer "Uh... I don't know I..."

"Ah, don't worry, it's no trouble" he grinned. "My wife and daughter wouldn't mind a bit, and you sound like you're bored listening to the research all day. I'll tell the Elric's and everything... as long as you don't steal anything."

"I'll try to resist the urge" Cara said slowly, a little uneasy. "Why are you offering when you barely know me?"

"I don't know, I suppose I've always done that." he shrugged. "Just my odd personality. So what do you say."

"...Thank you..." Cara found herself murmuring. "That... sounds nice..."

First the Rockbells, now this guy... this kindness was getting really wierd to Cara. It made her un easy, almost a little un comfortable, yet she was curious to see how a normal family acted again... it had been a few years...

"Sure I'll come."

* * *

_**Whew! That was a long chapter! About 4000 words! Guess this is for how it's been awhile, now you know why.**_

**_Cara: Yeah, it wasn't because she was being lazy!_**

**_Why do you sound so shocked!_**

**_Cara: Because you're a pure blooded procrastinator._**

**_Yeah and your a kleptomaniac!_**

**_Cara: AGAIN WITH THE BIG WORDS!_**

**_Chloe: Sigh... review!_**


	14. Chapter 13: Moving Forward

**__****Ok so this is filler... but I promise Envy will be in the next chapter... briefly. BUT HE WILL BE THERE! Actually depending on the length of the next chapter he may play a bigger role... He's gonna be big in this story eventually! I mean one of the listed characters is Envy...**

**_Cara: Yep... but for now we have a nice, pain free filler chapter._**

**_Chloe: REVIEW!_**

_"Sometimes you put walls up not to keep people out, but to see who cares enough to break them down."- Unknown_

* * *

Cara wasn't sure what to feel more overwhelmed by: How obsessed Hughes was with his daughter, how many pictures he had, or Gracia's absolutely heavenly cooking. As a thief she didn't exactly steal too many home made dinners and the woman's keesh was out of this world.

"You know, you should probably breath." Hughes grinned as he watched Cara messily devour her meal. "Just a suggestion."

Cara swallowed a mouthful and took in a deep breath "Sorry... I just... I've haven't had anything home cooked for a really long time... it's really good."

"That's understandable." the man smiled and took a bite of his own meal.

Cara felt eyes studying her and she turned to see Hughes' daughter Elysia gazing at her, her head cocked to one side as if she was trying to figure out something "Why is your hair so red?" she questioned, blinking innocent green eyes.

"Good question... I don't know who in their right mind would mix red hair and gold eyes" the corners of Cara's mouth tilted upward.

"It's pretty." the child beamed.

"Uh... thanks..." Cara had to admit that was the first time the word pretty had been related to anything about her.

"Isn't she adorable" Hughes sighed, his face glowing with pride.

Cara laughed once, forking another piece of keesh "Guess she is..."

* * *

Later on, while Cara rested idely on the couch and Gracia Hughes cleaned the kitchen, the woman turned and asked "So you enjoyed yourself tonight?"

"The food was really good." Cara nodded.

Gracia smiled as she wiped the counter with a dish cloth. After a brief moment of silence she said "So from what my husband told me, you were a thief."

"I swear I haven't stolen anything." Cara replied on instinct.

"That's not where I was going with this." Gracia laughed much to Cara's suprise. How could she dismiss her being a thief so easily? "I was just wondering... and don't take this the wrong way or anything..."

"Sure... what is it?" Cara raised an eyebrow.

"Do you even own a brush?"

Cara stared quizzically from the brush in her hand to her reflection in the mirror. Was it really worth putting herself through this torture? I mean did her hair look that messy? She stared at the nest of wild, tangly red that hung on her head for a minute.

Yeah, her hair was definetly a wreck.

With a sigh Cara raised the brush and ran it through her hair, winsing as it caught a tangle. This was going to take a _long _time. She had to resist cheering in triumph when she managed to pull the brush all the way through one section of hair without it getting snagged on a knot or tangle. She was one fiftieth of the way done. With a sigh she raised the brush and tried to pull through the next section.

After several minutes of agonizing pain for her scalp she set the brush down and stared at herself in the mirror, head cocked to one side. Her hair did look better this way... silky and smooth and her bangs acually lay flat on her forehead instead of sticking up at odd angles. She could probably pass for an average citizen now and not a filthy street rat... maybe people would stare at her less this way, which was fine by her.

Yawning she left the bathroom and wandered back over to the couch where she plopped down and quickly drifted off for the night.

* * *

Cara woke before anyone else. The apartment was dim, lit only by stray rays of grey, morning light through the one window. Streching, Cara rose to her feet and began surveying the livingroom. It was simple, with a coffee table, a plump couch and a clock on the wall. Picture frames hung on the wall, a small fraction of the photos taken by the almost obsessive Hughes. A smile touched Cara's face as her hand brushed against one of the glass coverings.

There was a small shelf on the wall as well, with a radio resting on top of it. The shelf space was occupied by odd, random little trinkets. They served no purpose other than to fill up space, but they did strike Cara as easy to steal... she wouldn't though. She didn't need money anymore now that she was traveling with The Fullmetal Alchemist: Hero of the people, and owner of and endless stash of money.

One small box caught her eye in paticular. It was simple and wooden with a silver trimmings. Glancing around subconciously she picked it up and cradled it in the palm of her hand, cautiously opening it. There was nothing in it but upon opening it, music began playing, a soft, high pitched melody. It was almost sad yet at the same time, up lifting. Cara had never been one for music but the music box in her hand held her transfixed.

"Not stealing I hope?"

Cara almost dropped the box at the sound of Hughes voice. She had been so immersed in the song she hadn't heard him approaching "Ah! No Hughes... sorry, I was just looking... heh heh..." she closed the box, looking sheepish. Actually she had been seriously considering the idea of taking it but she wasn't about to tell him that.

"Oh you found that old thing huh?" Hughes raised an eyebrow. "Pretty isn't it?"

Cara shrugged. "I guess... it's wierd... sad but... not."

"I call it 'Nostalgia'" Hughes smiled. "Remembering good times, wishing you had them again, but not regretting any of them."

"Nostalgia" Cara repeated staring at the box. "Catchy..." She put it back on the shelf where she had found it. "I won't steal it... sorry if I kind of put off a 'I'm going to steal all your stuff' vibe... forcive habit."

"Don't worry about it" Hughes laughed, waving his hand dismissivly. "You brushed your hair I see."

"It was painful." Cara muttered bluntly.

"That happens when you let it sit for a year."

"Unfortunately..."

Hughes chuckled "Do you want any breakfast Cara?"

"Thanks sir." Cara nodded before she blinked. That was the first time she had referred to any adult as _sir _since she had ditched home... She in general, didn't respect authority figures... but Hughes was different from the other adults she had met. He had earned her respect.

And that was no easy feat.

* * *

Later that day, Cara was lying on the couch, staring at the music box again and considering checking on Chloe and the Elric brother's progress when there was a knock at the door. She heard Hughes walk over and open it.

"Hello Chloe, what can I do for you?"

"Sorry if I'm intruding but can I talk to Cara?"

Cara sat up, setting the music box down on the coffee table, and peering over the back of the couch to see Chloe standing in the hall. The twelve year old looked sort of grim as she waved once at the red head "Hey."

"Uh hi..." Cara stood. "What are you doing here kid?"

"Escaping the vortex of depression" Chloe muttered.

"Huh?" Cara cocked her head to the side in question.

"I need to talk to you" the blonde grabbed her wrist and pulled her to the back of the room before she spoke again and lowered her voice "We uh... cracked the code."

"Uh..." Cara stared. "That _is _a good thing right?"

Chloe smiled bitterly "It would be... but the last ingrediant. It's..."

"Spit it out kid." Cara sighed.

"Human souls."

The red head could do nothing but blink in suprise for a moment, her mouth slightly open. She could defiently say she hadn't been expecting that. After a long pause Cara sighed and rubbed a hand over her face "Damn... that's a dead end if I've ever seen one...Even I have enough moral code to know that."

"You have a moral code?" Chloe asked in an attempt at levity.

"Last time I checked" Cara smirked. "Ed and Al aren't taking it well are they?"

"Well Al's being sort of optimistic, or trying to at least but Ed is..." Chloe sighed. "Well, down right depressed, and kind of an ass hole at the moment. Think you could possibly take a wack at being optimistic?"

"You must be _really _desperate if you're asking me, the Queen of Cynisism." Cara speculated.

"No argument."

"Ah, well..." Cara shrugged. "I'll give it a go. Hey Hughes!" she called. "I've got to go back and visit with the alchemy freaks. Thanks for letting me stay and everything."

"No problem." Hughes smiled.

"You said thank you!" Chloe gasped in shock.

Cara lightly wacked the blind girl over the head in retort.

"If you don't mind waiting just a minute" Hughes said bringing out his dreaded camera. "Just one of both of you please."

Cara didn't like pictures... it was kind of a sub concious suspicion thing... but she did owe him "I guess, in payment for letting me stay."

"Sweet." Chloe smiled brightly, despite the obvious weight of the truth on her shoulders. Cara smirked her trade mark smirk and rested a hand on the blind girls head. The camera flashed almost blinding Cara.

"Thanks" Hughes smiled. "I won't keep you for any more photo shoots" He grinned. "I'd rather take photos of my own daughter anyway."

"Yeah, don't feel pressured to show us all of them" Cara said nervously, edging twoards the door. "Thanks again Hughes... really."

"Your welcome." the man waved.

Even if Cara was cynical, she couldn't help but like him.

* * *

Ed stared blankly up at the celing as he lay on the couch, his hands behind his head, watching the fan go round and had been so close. But yet again it was jerked away from them. This whole dumb quest seemed like a tease. Now they seemed to have reached the lowest point.

The door suddenly slammed open and in stalked Cara, looking like a hellian from... well... Hell. Gold eyes narrowed she strode swiftly over to where he lay, siezed him by the collar and heaved him into the wall.

"Hey! What the Hell Cara!" he yelled, his eyes wide.

"Good, I got you to have an emotion" the girl growled looming over him. "I heard about the final ingrediant pipsqueak. I've also heard that you want to give up now. And I can't let you do that. You still owe me.

"Give it a rest" Ed muttered staring at the ground.

"Give it a rest?" Cara snorted and rolled her eyes "Look at this. The great Fullmetal Alchemist wants to give up. Guess that's all that can be expected from a little kid! Hit a bump, sit down and cry about it, hit a dead end and forget that you can go another direction!" she was mocking him, trying to make him angry, and it was working. "What an idiot. For someone who was willing to do anything to get his origional body back. What a bluff. You don't really care about it do you? You've invested years in this and now you're giving up! You're not doing this because it's moral. You're giving up because you're afriad!"

"Shut UP!" Ed was on his feet drawing his left fist back and punching Cara in the face. She turned her head to the side so that the blow hit her cheek and caused minimal damage but she was still sent to the ground.

"Brother!" Al was staring in shock and Ed was just suprised at what he had just done. He didn't show it though. He just kept glaring, daring her to attack again. Then to his suprise the red head started to laugh.

Ed stared at Cara, wondering if she had gone completely insane when she finally stopped with a smirk "I got it. I got that gleam back in your eye. The one that always looks forward."

"You could of been more subtle about it" Chloe sighed from the doorway.

"Ed." Cara continued, when she had completely calmed down. "This isn't a dead end. There might be another way. You can't just give up knowing that you might be able to find another alternative. You'll hate yourself... and I'll hate you even more... And what about Marco researching the philosiphers stone. Wasn't he in the military? What if this is directly connected. What if the military is involved. You can't just let that go either. There will be too man what ifs. Move forward. If something get's in your way, blast it to smitherenes. You've been going for this long so you can't very well stop now can you?"

Ed blinked, staring for a long time at the red head "I..." a smile crept onto his face. "You're right. We've been going this long... I'll be damned if we stop now." he walked over to the red head and held out his hand "Uh... sorry I punched you."

"Nah, I was being an intentional ass." Cara smirked, taking the hand and allowing herself to be pulled up.

"So do you think they're friends now?" Al asked.

"Nope... give it a few more life threatening expieriances and we'll see" Chloe sighed.

* * *

Ross and Bloch provided the map for the group to look at as Ed tried reasoning through the notes again "Marco's research is sound in theory but even with the inculsion of humans in the forging process it's still never managed to make a perfect stone.

"So there could still be other methods" Al supplied.

"Yeah but we should check his method first" Chloe nodded.

"Right, I want to see the truth of it with my own eyes" Ed murmured before something seemed to dawn on him. "Wait a minute... truth..." he pulled a piece of paper from his pocket and un folded it "Bottom of the page like an after thought... the truth behind all truths... He's saying there's still something more!"

"In order to manufacture a stone" Ed's eyes traced over the map. "You'd need huge refining equipment and big facilities... like a whole complex."

"There are four alchemic laboratories under the military's watch right now." Bloch explained, moving his finger over the map and resting it on the third laboratory. "I know for a fact that lab three was the lab Marco was assigned to."

"I went to the four labs in the city" Ed shook his head. "There wasn't anything suspicious about them."

"What about this building with the ominous red X over it?" Cara questioned, tapping the map. "_That _looks supicious."

"Lab five" Ross said. "But it's been out of operation for years. The building was rendered structurally unsound."

"Definetly suspicious" Cara concluded.

"She's right" Ed's eyes widened.

"Yeah see... wait I am?" Cara's eyebrows raised.

"Take a look" Ed pointed to the building next to it. "It's right next to a prison."

"...I'm suddenly very glad you bailed me out Ed." Cara muttered.

"Yeah, your welcome" Ed shrugged.

"You don't mean they used the convicts" Bloch's eyes widened.

"You couldn't have a cleaner plan" Ed circled the lab with a marker. "Prisoners on death row could be easily transported and used in philosiphers stones, then be marked as executed. It all makes perfect sense. Who ran this lab?"

"Brigadere General Gran" Ross sighed. "But he was killed by Scar as you are obviously aware."

"The wierd mustache guy?" Cara's eyebrow raised. "He was creepy..." she leaned back in her seat. "If there isn't anyone we can beat information out of then we're just gonna have to do a little sneaking around... which is what I do best."

"Yeah, guess we should check it out ourselves" Ed stood.

"Hang on a minute." Ross stood as well. "From now on this is grown ups work. With Scar on the loose, you're a walking target anyway. You can't just stroll around Central. Let Bloch and me be your eyes on the ground. We'll go to lab five and see if anything is out of the ordinary. If we see anything we'll give you a full report." she bowed her head freaking Ed out slightly "It's our duty."

After an awkward pause Al sighed "She has a point..."

Ed nodded after a pause and smiled "All right... I clearly can't argue with you. You guys can take care of it."

"Aw, but I want to break the law" Cara muttered, moodily.

Ross saluted, graciously and her and Bloch left. After a pause Cara glanced over at Ed.

"So we _are _sneaking out right?"

"Hell yeah."

* * *

_**See you all in a week! I must go on vacation tommorow :)**_

**_Cara: Envy will be in the next chapter._**

**_Chloe: So review!_**


	15. Chapter 14: The Oroborus Tattoo

_**Ha! I'm spending the night at my cousins house and they have INTERNET! So as a special treat I have decided to update for you! Wow I'm amazing! I am definetly your messiah...**_

**_Cara:... She needs to deflate the ego a little bit..._**

**_I'M THE QUEEN OF HUMILITY!_**

**_Chloe:... you think?_**

**_Envy: I'm in this chapter._**

**_ANOTHER REASON I RULE!_**

**_Ed and Al: sigh... REVIEW!_**

_"The face of the enemy frightens me only when I see how much it resembles me" -Unknown_

"Why can't I come?" Chloe demanded angrily as Ed and Al were hanging the rope out the window.

"You need to cover for us." Cara sighed, patting the girl on the head. "Widen those unseeing eyes of yours and look cute and they'll believe anything you say."

"But-"

"We don't want to make a big dea out of this" Ed told her as he began lowering self down the rope along with Al. "It would be better if we can hide the fact we snuck out. Plus if Scar does come you'll be able to warn them in advanse right?"

"Well yeah..." Chloe muttered. "But I-"

"Please Chloe?" Al asked nicely.

Chloe was silent for a minute before stamping her foot and crossing her arms, huffing "Fine! Cara, don't die!"

"Since when do I take orders from you kid?" Cara smirked, starting to lower herself out the window after the brothers. "Don't worry. I don't need to be told to kick ass and come back."

Chloe sort of laughed "Don't overwork yourself either."

"I'll try."

The brothers and Cara hurried quietly down the streets, toward the fifth laboratory. The darkness hid them well and it was no secret Cara was a professional at sneaking around.

The fifth lab was a large, creepy looking building, with a door covered by barbed wire that also lined the tops of the towering walls. A single gaurd was posted by the gate leading in.

"A gaurd at an unmaned building huh?" Ed muttered peering around the corner. "Fishy."

"Should we get through with alchemy?" Al asked.

"Nah, the flashing lights would alert the gaurd." Ed put a hand to his chin. "Hmm... wait I know. Give me a boost Al."

Al created a foothold with his hands for Ed to step in before vaulting the older boy up onto the walls edge. He landed on the barbed wire with hi left leg, steadying himself with his right arm. Carefully he peeled away a section of barb wire to make an opening. "Ok, now you give Cara a boost and I'll lower the barbed wire down."

"Ok" Al nodded.

Cara let Al toss her up onto the wall where she landed easily in a crouch. She scanned the yard around the lab quickly, her eyes narrowed. There didn't seem to be any other gaurds inside. "I think we're clear." she murmured, dropping down and landing on one knee. "Except for, you know, the fact that the door is barred."

"Yeah, we'll have to find another way in." Ed nodded as he and Al joined her on the ground. He looked around for a minute then pointed to a small vent on the side of the wall. "There, that's big enough for me and Cara to fit through... Al, you'll have to wait outside. Whether we need you or not, your body is too big to fit through."

"I didn't ask to get this big" Al whined in a pitiful voice but he lifted the blonde and red head up so they could squeeze into the vent.

"Tight fit" Cara specualted as they crawled through. She flashed a smirk. "See pipsqueak, if you weren't so short then you might not be able to fit through here. There are benifits." she sighed. "Then again I _am _taller than you and I can fit through."

"Oh shut up!" Ed snapped. "And you're not that much taller! You're still short!"

"Yes but _I _am a girl. This is a normal hieght for a girl. "You are a boy... unless there's something you'd like to tell me, Goldielocks?"

Ed made an incoherant growling noise in his throat in response.

"I don't speak chimera" Cara said flatly.

"AUGH!"

* * *

Chloe sighed as she lay on the couch, her unseeing eyes shut, her hands behind her head. She hated being stuck hea missing all the action. Cara knew she could handle herself so why should she stay behind. Stupid adults wanting to do the work themselves. If they didn't have to sneak out, she wouldn't be stuck here.

Sighing she let propped her feet up so that they lay flat against the couch, letting herself feel her suroundings. She liked to do this in every room she went to, discover the locations of everything, lamps, windows, tables and others. Focusing herself more she felt around for people. Ross and Bloch seemed to be pacing the library, and she could sense some other military personel with their guns down stairs. A frown drew over her face suddenly. Something was causing som strong vibrations in the library... what was it?

She heard a yell suddenly and a loud crash. Pain shot through her forehead and she rolled off the couch in suprise. Growling she pushed herself up. "Damnit... Scar's here."

She locked the door, though she was sure that wasn't going to do any good. What else could she do? '_Think Chloe! You have to get out somehow! Use your brain you idiot!'_

Then she realized: The window! Duh! She ran towards her escape as she felt Scar drawing closer but stopped, suddenly remembering the papers. He would know where Cara and the brothers went!

She turned back to go for them when there was a flashing sound and the door exploded open. She fell to her knees, clutching at her head, pain making her eyes water.

"You." the un mistakable voice of Scar said. She felt him drawing closer and she scrambled towards the window. He swiftly caught her by the neck and pinned her up against the wall so that her legs dangled. "You are that blind alchemist" Scar said, his voice accusing.

"L-let me go!" Chloe stuttered, struggling wildly against his grip. Without her feet on the ground, she really was blind. Nothing scared her more than that fact.

His grip tightened as she squirmed and he pressed her against the wall "Are you a state alchemist?"

"No! How'd you think I would get off working for the military when I'm with a thief!" Chloe gasped, as breathing started becoming difficult.

"The red headed girl." Scar asked.

"Yeah her!" Chloe tried to pry his huge hand away from her neck with both of hers. "I'm not a state alchemist ok!"

There was a moment of silence before Scar let her drop and she fell to her knees, gasping for breath.

"The Fullmetal Alchemist was here" Scar murmured and she felt him walking over to the table where the papers were. There was a small flash and the blind girl winsed. "So Fullmetal, you know the truth now as well."

He stood again and moved twoards Chloe who backed up, swallowing. He knelt down in front of her.

"I'm not going to hurt you, girl." he said softly. "You are not one of my prey. Tell me why the use of my hand hurts you."

"The vibrations" Chloe mumbled, fighting the urge to bolt. "There are just so many of them. It's like every one of your movements is amplified by _something_. I don't know what. Then you use that arm and... well it hurts."

"Vibrations... you use them to see?" the man questioned.

Chloe swallowed and nodded "Yeah."

"You have transmutations circles on your feet. Is this why you reacted so strongly when you were lifted off the ground." he asked.

"Yeah" Chloe muttered. "That and the fact that you're a _dangerus serial killer who was CHOKING me_!"

She heard a sound that sounded like something close to a short laugh "I suppose... The Fullmetal Alchemist went to the fifth lab did he not?"

Chloe pressed her lips together in a tight line and said nothing.

"The location was circled on the map, you know."

Chloe smacked a hand to her forehead "Damn. you have me there." She felt Scar stand and move twoards the window and she stumbled shakily to her feet. "Wait, I'm coming too."

"Why?" Scar asked, sounding genuinely suprised.

"I... I didn't want to get left behind in the firt place and... if anything happens to Cara." she shrugged. "I don't want to be your allie or anything but since you're an easy person for me to follow, I'm going to go to the fifth lab so I can help them out."

"Suit youself" Scar replied after a pause, shattering the window, with his bare hand, instead of with alchemy.

There were fast approaching footsteps down the hall as Scar jumped from the window.

_Now or never _Chloe thought with a sigh jumping out the window. _Great, now you're working with a serial killer. Only Cara is supposed to pull crazy, dangerous stunts like that.'_

After outrunning and avoiding a series of traps (Well, Cara let Ed set them all off while she watched entertained from the sidelines until it was safe to cross) Ed and Cara made it to a large room with coloums.

"Hello" an echoy voice said. The two turned to see a man in armor walking twoards them, wielding a sharp looking sword by his side. "Graciously I welcome you here."

"Great, does the welcoming parade include a guy with a whip and chains too?" Cara asked, raising an eyebrow, a smirk drawn over her face. "Or do you charge extra for that?"

The man in armor laughed "You've got spunk girl... too bad I'll have to kill you both."

"Yeah that is a shame" Ed muttered, transmuting his arm into a blade. "Cara you go on."

"Huh?" Cara asked in suprise.

"I'll take this guy. If you run into some other opponent, you can kill him and save me the trouble later. Killing to birds with one stone." Ed grinned, his eyes never leaving the armor.

"Sure you can handle him pipsqueak?" Cara asked skeptically.

"What makes you think I can't?"

"And image of Scar destroying your arm comes to mind."

"Shutup strawberry patch just go."

Cara shrugged "It's all the same to me. You have fun." she waved and took off to the next door. She half expected the armored man to stop her but he didn't seem to care.

She strode down the halls in silence for several minutes, nothing interesting happening. What was she supposed to be looking for anyway? The philosiphers stone was red wasn't it? But how was she supposed to find _anything _in this maze of a building?

"Well, well..."

Cara stopped in mid stride at the sound of a cool voice, echoing through the halls. It was oddly femine but sounded like it belonged to a male. Whoever it was, obviously was smirking.

"What do we have here?" the voice continued and Cara was still unable to identify where the owner was. "We expected the brothers but not a girl... interesting..."

"Yes, I consider myself a facinating person" Cara replied, her eyes narrowed as she listened for a sign of movement. Then she heard a footstep and she whirled, drawing a knife with expert fingers and sending it twoards the sound. She herd the knife clang on the floor instead.

"Hmm, you almost hit me there." the voice smirked, as she heard someone clapping. Out of the dark came a figure with long, spiked green hair and narrow violet eyes. Though the figure was androgenous looking and the clothes threw Cara off a bit, she guessed by the flat chest and the smirk that it was a guy.

"Who are you?" Cara growled, drawing another knife from her belt and holding it at her side.

"I could be asking you the same question kid." the man raised his eyebrows as he observed her.

"...I'm a notorious thief." Cara dead panned after a pause. "That's all you really need to know."

The man laughed to her suprise "Oh are you now? Right, I heard about a thief getting bailed out by the Fullmetal pipsqueak. What was it the public called you? The Red Devil?"

"Yeah..." Cara nodded, smirking. "The public is uncreative. No one can figure out anything to describe me except my hair." she narrowed her eyes again. "I've answered your question, now answer mine. Who the heck are you?"

The man assesed her for a minute, as if ponering whether or not he should answer her question before he replied. "I'm a homunculus. You can just call me Envy."

"Isn't that one of the seven deadly sins?" Cara raised an eyebrow. "Catchy. Now, I'm no good with big words. That job is left to my smart, alchemy nerd companions. What the heck is a homunculus?"

Envy mused over the answer for a second before replying. "A monster... that's all you really need to know."

"Meh, good enough for me." Cara shrugged and looked him up and down. He didn't seem normal anyhow. Then her eyes caught something. A red mark on his thigh. One of a serpant devouring it's tale, with a star in the middle. Her eyes widened and her calm demeanor dropped suddenly s she took a step back "Where did you get that? Th-that mark!"

Envy raised an eyebrow "Recognize it from somewhere?"

"I've... seen it" Cara muttered, swallowing and forcing herself to refocus her gold eyes on Envy's violet ones. "So I would ask you 'what now' but I'm guessing you're not planning on letting me go."

"Ha! That's right. See we have plans that you aren't involved in, and we don't need you getting in the way." Envy's casualy smirk widened into a malicious grin. "So let's see what you can do little devil."

"My god, a nickname with out a the word or a synonym of red." Cara blinked before slipping another knife into her other hand and bending her knees in preperation.

This "monster" was on the arrogant, cocky side of things. He would move first. She waited, watching him carefully, waiting for the movement. Then his eyes flashed and he shot forward.

Cara wasn't quite prepared for his speed or his skill but she did manage to slide out of the way of a blow to her ribs. He turned swiftly and lunged at her again, moving with grace that she didn't expect. She would have to actually try here. She flipped back on one hand and slid before shooting forward at him, slipping under his fist and moving for his neck but he twisted and launched a round house kick at her. She managed t twist in mid air, out of the way and land in a crouch before she rolled back away from anothe blow.

Cara was trying as hard as she could to conserve her energy but it wasn't working very well. He moved so quickly, and besides that he was _really _good at stratagy. The most annoying thing was, he didn't even look like he was trying that hard.

Envy managed to catch her with a swing from his arm and she stumbled back onto the wall, breathing heavily. She was amazed that she hadn't had an attack yet with how long this fight had been going.

"You're not bad" Envy smirked moving over to her and taking her chin in his hand. "So why are you holding back?"

So he had noticed. He was observant. With a growl Cara swung her leg up, aiming a kick twoards his face and he laughed and jumped back "Nice try little devil."

"Yeah, well we're on the subject of nicknames, why does your hair look like a palmtree?" Cara smirked.

The homunculus frowned and his eyes narrowed "What did you just say?"

"Seriously... it does." Cara continud cocking her head to the side, enjoying the fact that she could actually get under this guys skin. "I mean can you really deny it?"

Envy snarled and lunged at her again. She danced out of the way and tried to attack him from the side, an attack that he easily dodged. Flipping back and siezing her oppurtunity, Cara threw her knife with deadly accuracy, hitting him right betwwen the eyes and sending him back to the ground, un moving.

Panting Cara grinned "Wow... I won."

"Not quite."

The red head staired in utter amazement as Envy drew the knife from his forehead and stood. The wound slowly sealed itself and his tongue flicked out to lick some stray blood out "But a funny thing about homunculi kid. We can't die."

Cara blinked "... that's cheating."

"There's no such thing in my world." Envy grinned and shot forward. Cara barely managed to stumble out of the way before the attack hit, shooting through her abdomen and sending her to her knees. Tremors racked her body as she fought to keep cries of pain from slpping between her clenched teeth. It was a really bad one, she could tell.

"Well look at that?" she heard Envy smirk as his footsteps approached her. "Looks like you over worked yourself huh little devil?"

"No... freaking... shit..." Cara hissed crumpling to the floor, fighting now to keep concious as the pain steadily increased. She wondered if Envy was enjoying watching her in pain because he didn't kill her. He just stood over and watched her writhe, smirking broadly. When the pain slowly started to subside, Cara tried weakly to push herself to her feet again. She was so exahausted she could barely managed to fight gravity much less fight, but still she tried. She was suprised she had managed to stay concious for that one.

"Are you seriously still trying to fight?" Envy asked amused.

"I'm not... through..." Cara growled. "I'm still... concious... and that's... good enough... for me..."

Envy chuckled and knelt down in front of her, taking her chin between his thumb and forefinger and tilting her head up "What's your connection to the Elric's anyway kid?"

"...He owes me" Cara muttered, trying to pull her face away.

Envy's grip tightened "Is that so? Then you might be useful to us yet... for now at least."

Cara felt her eye lids getting heavier and heavier as she started slipping twoards unconciousness. She was vaugley aware of Envy picking her up before she slipped into darkness.

Bad timing...

* * *

_**Hope you people liked Envy in this chapter.**_

**_Cara: I didn't._**

**_Well no one cares about you silly._**

**_Cara: Grr..._**

**_Envy: REVIEW!_**


	16. Chapter 15: Between Right and Wrong

**__******

Ok, so another update!

**_Cara: Yep, she's back from vacation_**

**_Chloe: And has internet!_**

**_Yep! It's wonderful. By the way, I'm going to a two week writing camp on sunday. I'll have internet access and everything but I'm going to be very busy. I'll try to update Ashes one more time tommorow but no promises._**

**_Ed: So know that she's not being lazy... for once._**

**_Al: Yes, she's actually genuinely going to be busy._**

__

**_Envy: More of me in this chapter... REVIEW!_**

_"This is the moment, it's on the line,_

_Which way you're gonna fall." _

_~ Fransesca Battistelli (It's Your Life)_

* * *

"There it is." Chloe heard Scar say. "The top is covered with barb wire though."

"One second" Chloe murmured, her brow furrowing in concentration as she felt out the vibrations. Barb wire encircled every part of the top as he had said, except... "I found an opening." she murmured. "To the right, Cara and the brothers must've used it to get through. This way."

The girl led the scarred Ishbalan around the side to the area she was talking about "Give me a boost. I don't want to attract attention with alchemy."

"Alright" Scar obliged, lifting the girl up onto the wall, easily reaching it with his hieght. She clammered onto the top ledge and dropped onto the grass. Then she heard a slightly crazed voice echoing across the yard. She felt _two _hollow armor bodies.

"I kill therefore I am!" suddenly one of the armored bodies was moving twoards her at an alarming speed. He had something metal in his hand. A blade? "Whether I existed doesn't matter! I'm a killer and that's all I need to know!" the voice screeched.

Then Scar was in front of her, catching the metal arm as it fell twoards her. "You're right, there is no need to prove that you existed" Scar said in a cool and threatening voice. "Because very soon you won't."

"Thanks for that" Chloe breathed, swallowing.

"Chloe?" that was Al's voice. "What are you doing here? And with him!"

"Well, he did break into the library and I decided to come along to find Cara, because I bet she's getting herself killed ." Chloe shrugged. "Speaking of which where are they?"

"Inside but-" Al started to say but he was but off by the other, crazed armor who had just tried to kill Chloe.

"No fair! You didn't say you had other allies around!"

"Allies?" Scar asked confused.

"Gotcha." the mad man grinned, swinging his free fist twoards Scar. The Ishbalan growled and threw the man back and he landed with a clank on the ground, a hollow sound resounding from inside of him.

"So you're in that pitiful body as well. May God show mercy when I send you to him."

"Ah! Why is that mark there on your arm?" the psychotic armor asked.

"You know what this is?" Scar growled.

"Oho, you don't have any idea what that is do you?" the armor cackled gleefully.

"Tell me!' Scar demanded, lunging forward, but the armor danced easily out of the way. "If you know what this is then tell me now!"

"Oh... you're just dying to know the truth aren't you? I see... well um... let's see." Chloe noticed that the armor was shifting alot before he turned around and slid a panel open on the stone wall. "I'm not going to tell you!"

"Stop!" Chloe yelled, running forward twoards the psychotic armor. Then there was a defening explosion.

* * *

When Cara finally came to, she ached like crap all over, and felt exhausted. It was a common after math of an attack like that and it could be more annoying. Groaning she shifted up as best she could in her weakened state, propping herself up against the wall in a sitting position. She was in the middle of a room that was empty besides a giant, reddish pink tank sitting in the middle of it.

Gritting her teeth against the pain she tried to edge twoards the door but a familier unwelcome voice broke into the silence. "Don't even think about it kid." Cara glared at Envy as he appeared in front of her and knelt down to her eye level. "You can't out run me anyway."

"Well then there should be no problem with me trying should there?" Cara smirked.

Envy shook his head in sighed. "Don't try to bluff. You're exhausted, I can tell." He took her chin between his fingers and tilted her head up slightly, observing her. "You wouldn't get so much as two steps before falling down."

"It's an annoying side effect." Cara growled.

Envy chuckled and released the red head's chin. "You humans facinate me. You try so hard despite being so weak."

Cara's eyes flashed "I'm _not _weak!" she snapped, loosing her calm demeanor.

"Oho, looks like I hit a soft spot" Envy smirked broadly. "Though you're fast as far as humans go, I'll give you that."

"Yes" Cara nodded, smiling. "And you're suprisingly animant for a tropical tree."

Envy frowned "For being so _weak _right now" he emphasized the word. "Do you really think it's a good idea to throw out those stupid comments?"

"It comes from years of my hair being used as an uncreative nickname" Cara said brightly, forcing herself to ignore the word weak. "I call the Fullmetal pipsqueak Goldielocks, I call you palmtree. You know, passing the misery."

"Tch, whatever" Envy rolled his eyes before he turned and strode twoards the tank. Cara watched in amazement as a bright light enveloped the homunculus and the androgenous teenager melted into the large, bald, freaky mustache man."

Cara blinked "Either that's some awesome alchemy... or you're just messed up."

"The second" the clone replied. "Homunculi can't do alchemy." He pressed a button on the side of the tank and one of the walls slid open to reveal... a series of prison inmates? Envy strode up to them glaring "Amazing after thousands of years of evolution you humans are as vile a creature as you ever were." then he turned around like nothing had happened and sealed the door once again.

"Uh..." Cara waved her hand in the air as Envy shifted back to his origional form. "Can I point out the hipocracy of that statement or will you just ignore me?"

The homunculus thought for a minute before replying "I'll probably ignore you."

"Oh ok, but you're a hypocrit." Cara smirked.

"And you're a weak human. What else is new?" Envy smirked even wider.

Cara growled and made an effort to push herself to her feet, her fists clenched "Don't. Call. Me. That."

Suddenly she heard the sound of Ed's voice asking "So this is the room right above?"

Before she could react or call out Envy darted around her and pulled her back against the wall, right by the door, a hand over her mouth, pressing her head back against his shoulder. The tight grip sent a sharp pain through her and tremors began to rack her body. Even in her violent shaking Envy kept his tight hold on her, until the door had closed again and he let the shaking red head go.

Cara dropped to the ground, bearing the pain in silence before it subsided a moment later. She drew in a shaky breath "Ow... guess that's what happens when I try to fight an attack like that. God I hate my life." She glared at him "This is your fault for making me fight so long."

"I didn't make you do anything." Envy smirked kneeling down next the glaring red head. "You fought for too long yourself, that's not my problem."

"You have no soul."

"Well, your'e right about that at least," Envy grinned maliciously before standing again. "Time to go make sure the Fullmetal pipsqueak is doing his job."

"I'm not going anywhere with you" Cara growled. "In fact I _can't _go anywhere with you. I find myself unable to move."

"Ha, that's fine with me. I'll just put you to sleep for a little while."

"Wait what?"

"Sweet dreams, little devil." Envy moved his hand down to her neck, a pressure point, pinching lightly and sending Cara's world into darkness.

_'I really hate that palmtree' _Cara decided as she dropped off. _'Very, very much.'_

"Chloe? Chloe are you ok?" Al's voice called.

"Right here" Chloe stamped her foot on the ground, melting her stone shield back into the ground. "That was a close one. Are you and Scar alright Al?"

"Fine" Al called back. "Both of us."

"Great, now where is that dumb psycho." Chloe tried to focus but there was a lot of debree around.

"Ah, you flatter me little girl." an armored, arm wrapped around Chloe's waist, lifting her off the ground and she felt a sharp metal blade press under her chin. "I found my knife! Isn't that just wonderful?" he cackled.

Chloe squeaked and wriggled in the armor's grip, trying to get her feet back on the ground but he had a tight hold on her "Settle down little blind girl. Or my knife will slip." she felt the blade barely slice her neck drawing a thin trickle of blood to the surface of her skin and she froze.

"Chloe!" Al cried, taking a few steps forward.

"Don't come any closer armor boy" the psycho cackled. "Or I'll have to cut up the girl." he moved twoards a hole blasted in the lab. "You stay put too scarred man. Let me get a little head start first. Don't follow too soon."

"Let me go!" Chloe cried, squirming again.

"Oh shush little girl." the blade pressed a little harder against her neck, and she stopped struggling again, a whimper escaping her throat. "That's better." he cackled. "Bye now!" and he was running with her.

"What the Hell do you want!" Chloe demanded.

"It's been a long time since I've been able to cut someone up you know" the armor giggled as he ran. "Let me introduce myself, my name is Barry. I used to be a serial killer known as Barry the Chopper. Catchy wouldn't you say, little darling?"

Chloe swallowed down her fear. She just needed to get her feet on the ground, that was it. Then she would be fine. Barry eventually came to a stop and dropped her. She heard the door close a second later and lock.

"Now I have plenty of time to cut you up!" he cackled.

Chloe smirked and rose to her feet. "Not on my agenda, sorry." and she slammed her foot against the ground, causing a stone fist to spring from the ground with a force that sent Barry flying through the wall. Quickly she sealed the wall again before Barry could recover and blasted the door away. She took off down the halls at a run. "Damn... now what... this place is a freaking maze, and it's huge!"

* * *

After a minute she paused to catch her breath and closed her eyes in concentration. She felt the vibrations, trying to sense out the halls. Then she felt a familier set of vibrations "Scar..." she grinned. "Thankyou for haveing so many vibrations." and she took off to find the Ishbalan.

* * *

Cara winced as she opened her eyes and rubbed her soar neck.

"Cara! Hey!" she heard Ed's voice call.

"Oh look your awake again." Envy sighed.

Cara rolled over onto her stomach and glared at Envy who stood a few feet away "You bastard... you knocked me out! I officially hate you!"

"Oh you didn't before?"

"No I did, but now it's official. I think I'll kill you."

"Right," Envy smirked. "Before or after you get over that whole, not being able to move block."

"Damn your stupid logic" Cara growled. She looked around the room. Ed was kneeling by what looked like a transmutation circle surrounded by containers of a red substance and the prison inmates were scattered around the circle looking confused. Behind her a was a giant animal looking thing with an up side down human's head, a lady with the largest cleavage she'd ever seen, sitting on top of a smashed up Al and a fat retarted looking guy, sucking on his finger.

"This kind of looks like something I'd see in a bizarre dream." Cara muttered after a pause. "Who the Hell are those guys and what is going on here?"

"Feel free to call me Lust" the woman smirked lazily. "And this is Gluttony."

Cara spotted the oroborus tattoo on Lust's chest, and on Gluttony's tongue as he stuck it out of his mouth, drooling. "More... homunculi?" Cara asked warily.

"That's right" Envy smirked

"Damn..." Cara growled, clenching her bandaged fist and drawing it subconciously under her.

"It's an equivalent exchange" Lust was saying. "I'm going to tell you everything you need to make a philosiphers stone and in return you are going to turn all of us into humans."

"A philosiphers stone" Cara's eyes widened. "You mean it can be done?"

"And why the Hell should I trust you guys" Ed hissed.

"We're not asking Fullmetal, we're telling" Lust smirked, kneeling down beside Al and knocking his helmet off. Her nail lengthened and she reached inside him "It won't take long to sever the bond Fullmetal."

"No stop!" Ed cried. "He's my little brother! Please don't take him away, I'm begging you!"

"Ed, it's ok" Al murmured. "What am I after all?"

"Don't give up on me now Al, Ok!" Ed clapped his flesh hand to his obviously broken, automail one and pressed his hand to the ground. The debree melted into the ground and the celeing repaired itself in a bright flash.

Envy whistled sarcastically and Cara watched as Gluttony cornered the prison mates into the array. The selfish part of her wanted Ed to go through with it. They were just prisoners, what did they matter? The moral part of her... was realizing that it didn't even exist. Still she knew that Ed's morals were going haywire. His brother? Or the prison inmates? She felt sorry for the blonde alchemist in that moment.

"Brother no!" Al protested as Ed adjusted the tanks. "You can't do this! It's not worth it!"

"You can do it kid" Lust said grinning. "I have faith."

"Yeah, and I have a proportional chest" Cara hissed under her breath.

"This is crazy!" Al cried. "Those people, there human!"

"Yeah, and soon you and I will be, so what's your problem?" Envy smirked.

"I don't want to get my body back if it means haveing to take someone elses life!"

Envy laughed mirthlessly "I thought you two would've gotten the message after your pathetic attempt to bring back mommy." Cara's eyes widened. They had done... _what?_ "You've gotta spin life to make life. Come on, this is basic alchemy here. Don't kid yourself into thinking there's away around it because there's not" he smirked broadly. "As they say... death is the high cost of living."

"So this is really the truth behind all truths." Ed murmured, he clapped his hands together and knelt down in front of the circle, his face blank.

"Envy" Lust turned to the homunculus that stood beside Cara. "Add the girl to the circle. We no longer need her with his brother and she is of no further use to us."

"I like you too." Cara muttered. "And if you touch me Envy, my psycho friend will come after you."

He rolled his eyes, smirking and siezed the redhead by the coller, dragging her over to the center of the room and tossing her into the center of the circle with the inmates. "No hard feeling right little devil?" he grinned, stepping back.

"Bite me." Cara replied, glaring viciously at him. "_Palmtree."_

Envy glowered at the red head "Tch... oh well, you'll be dead in a second anyway."

That's when all Hell broke loose. The room shook with the force of a huge explosion, shattering several of the tanks and sending red liquid everywhere. Part of the wall had broken away to reveal Scar and... Chloe?"

"Ow!" the blind girl growled at the large Ishbalan. "Stop using that stupid hand around me. It _hurts_."

"I apologize" Scar replied stotically. "Fullmetal Alchemist, take your brother and get out of here."

"I never thought I'd be glad to see you" Cara struggled to her knees. "Kid give me a hand!"

"What's the magic word?" the blind girl asked, grinning.

"Do your damn earth alchemy smart ass." Cara snapped.

"Ok, ok, sheesh" Chloe stamped her foot against the ground and a rock platform catapulted the red head upwards. She managed to land on one knee beside Chloe.

"Thanks" she panted. "Now what the Hell are you doing here?"

"I'm sorry!" she crossed her arms. "Scar came and I was afraid you were getting yourself killed... which you _were._"

"Was not." Cara muttered.

"Yes you were" Envy called helpfully, a smirk on his face.

"Shut up!" Cara snapped. "Or I'll set my psycho companion on you."

"Aw Cara" Chloe whined. "I'm not a psycho! Why do you keep on using me for your black mail! I have morals."

"How do you have morals after working for me for so long?"

"Much difficulty."

"Let's go Al!" Ed called, running for his brother. Then he stepped in the red liquid and froze, his eyes wide. A light flashed and he glowed blue, spasaming where he stood.

"What the?" Cara stared.

"The military is coming!" Lust cried. "Get out!"

"Fine!" Envy glared up at the red head who smirked and waved.

"Till next time palmtree."

"When I beat you again" he smirked before darting away.

"...Was that your personality twin?" Chloe asked after a pause.

"NO!" Cara wacked the girl over the head. "HE'S NOTHING LIKE ME!"

"Really? Because the sarcasm and the fact that he was obviously smirking threw me off." Chloe smirked.

"Be quiet shrimp!" Cara glared.

"Fine... what exactly was he? His vibrations were alot more than a normal human."

"He wasn't human."

"Really?"

"He's a homunculus"

Chloe blinked "But... no one has ever successfully created a human before!"

"Created... human?" Cara's eyes widened. "So that's what that means."

There were footsteps coming down the hallway and Cara saw Ross moving through the bright lights and wind that came from the still spasaming Ed. They both watched as she wrapped her arms around the boy and pulled him into a hug. The wind died and the glowing faded.

"Hugs cure siezures?" Cara's eyebrows raised. "Why didn't I think of that!"

"The power of love compells you" Chloe deadpanned.

"Yeah... hey, were did Scar go?" she looked around.

"Huh" Chloe shrugged. "Guess he ditched."

"Right" Cara sighed and glanced down at her bandaged hand.

"Something wrong?" Chloe asked, conserned.

Cara closed her hand. "I'll tell you later."

* * *

_**Wow, long chapter...**_

**_Envy: With lot's of me in it._**

**_Cara: Unfortunately._**

**_Chloe: I'm telling you: Personality twins._**

**_Cara: NO WE AREN'T!_**

**_Ed: sigh... REVIEW!_**


	17. Chapter 16: Distance

**_Ok so here's an update for this story. The third book in Lightning Strike is out also! So take a look at that too :)_**

**_Cara: This chapter is fillerish/ angsty..._**

**_Chloe: REVIEW!_**

Cara sighed as she fidgeted with her bandage. She was sitting on the edge of the roof, thinking about the homunculi and lab five. Ed still hadn't woken up from when he had passed out. He had been out for a whole day.

"Cara?" Chloe's soft voice came from behind her. "Something is bothering you... you've been really quiet ever since we got back from the lab and you usually comment on everything, if you know what I mean."

"Hmm" was all Cara said.

"What happened?"

"Nothing _happened_." Cara shrugged. "Not really... It's just... it's nothing kid, you don't have to worry about it."

"So what did happen there? You were in the circle with the prisoners and there were those homunculi and Al was all beat up... what happened in there?"

"I got split up from Ed and ran into Envy, the homunculus who shape shifts. I fought him... he won... Even without the attack though I think he would've won... But the attack was really bad. It wiped me out, I couldn't even move for awhile. I hated feeling weak like that... And if I ever see Envy again I'm going to kick his ass."

"That's the one whose your personality twin right?" Chloe mused.

"We are NOT personality twins!" Cara snapped, wacking the girl over the head. "God... I'm absolutely nothing like him in any way, shape or form got it?"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever" Chloe rolled her unseeing eyes. "Anyway... about Al... have you noticed anything strange about him?"

"Not really why?" Cara blinked.

"He's been really quiet" Chloe murmured, glancing back twoards the door. "I'm worried about him. It seems like somethings been seriously bothering him."

Cara shrugged lightly "Well that's more your area of expertise isn't it? I'm no good with other people." the red head swung down from her perch. "I'm going to see Hughes. I'll catch you later. Tell me if you figure out what's wrong with Al."

"Uh... right" Chloe waved. "And Cara... uh..."

"What?" Cara glanced back at the twelve year old, waiting.

"Just... be careful..." she bit her lip. "I've got a bad feeling about those homunculi... I feel like we're going to see them again... there's something really bad going on... I can feel it."

**_A slight smile drew over Cara's face "Don't worry about me kid... you remember those three conditions I gave you in the beggining right? Don't forget those." she raised her hand in brief farewell "Later, shrimp..."_**

* * *

Cara stared at her feet as she walked, her hands stuffed in her pockets. Her mind was completely somewhere else. Back at the fifth lab, thinking about the people with the oroborus tattoos. Could it really he possible that-

Her thoughts were cut short as she knocked into someone. "Hey, watch where you're going-" she started before stopping, upon realizing who she had bumped into. "Oh Hughes. It's you. Sorry about that."

The bispecticaled man smiled "It's fine Cara. Where are you off to today?"

"I thought I'd stop by to say hey" she shrugged. "But I guess you're going somewhere else huh?"

"I just got word that Edward was up and about so I thought I'd visit him" he laughed good naturedly. "You can come with me if you want."

"Sure."

They made there way back to the hospital, Cara keen to let Hughes do all of the talking about his daughter and such. It was nice when you didn't actually have to answer to a conversation. She was convinced Hughes would talk to a wall if he had no one else.

"It's her birthday tommorow, did you know that?" he beamed. "You're coming right?"

"Uh..."

"Wonderful! She'll be glad to have you. Bring Chloe too why don't you?"

"Um..."

"That's great! I knew you'd love to come."

Not that throwing input into Hughes rants was an easy task in the first place.

"Hey there boys!" Hughes grinned as he threw open the door. "How are you holding up?"

"Hey Hughes," Ed managed a grin. "Oh, Cara... you made it out fine then?"

She shrugged, smirking "More or less."

"Oh I just remembered" Hughes said suddenly. "I haven't had any lunch today."

"I'll go get you some sir." Bloch volenteered.

"Yeah" Hughes nodded. "Leutinant Ross, why don't you go with him."

"Understood sir" the woman nodded.

Once the two officers were gone Hughes' face went serious and he sat down next to Ed's bed "About lab five. As far as the military records go it's all being treated as collateral damage caused by Scar while he was pursuing you. But needless to say, I'm not convinced of that. We found several corpses of what looked like chimeras and a lot of sophisticated machinary I think was working until yesterday. Surviving prisoners claim they were taken there by Brigadier General Gran who we both no is sitting in a grave with an exploded skull." He sighed. "Ed...what the Hell happened in there?"

"How should I know" Ed hissed after a pause. "I passed out."

"Don't give me that" Hughes said seriously. "Just tell me what you saw."

"Ed, I'm with Hughes" Chloe said from where she sat next to Al. "We should tell him about those guys."

Ed still said nothing.

Cara sighed "Fine then. I'll tell him myself. They were homunculi."

Hughes eyes widened as he whirled to look at the red head who stood leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed, eyes closed. "You're kidding me. Artificial humans?"

"That's right" Ed muttered. "Believe me... they weren't human at all."

"So they had a connection to the philosiphers stone?" Hughes asked.

"I'll say, they were trying to get me to make one. And they wanted me to use those prisoners to pull it off." Ed murmured.

"That's hard to believe." Hughes sighed.

"I'll attest to it." Cara muttered. "I fought against one of the homunculi. Ed and I got seperated. He shape shifts... that's why the prisoners believe the freaky mustache dude escorted them to the fifth lab. Then they tried to throw me in with the other stone ingredients."

"Tell him Al, isn't that right?" Ed turned to his brother.

"...Yes." Al answered.

Ed sketched down a few of the things from the lab "The gaurdian who's soul was attached to armor, the psychopath named Envy, Oroborus tattoos and the array to make a philosiphers stone. Those are the things I saw in there Hughes."

"You're drawings suck" Cara commented lightly.

"Shutup." Ed growled.

"Oroborus tattoo? What's that look like?" Chloe asked.

"Ah, red, a serpant devouring it's own tail, with a star in the middle." Ed explained.

Chloe's eyes widened suddenly "What?"

"Something wrong?" Hughes asked.

"I uh... nothing! No it's nothing. Sorry. I thought it was something else." Chloe said quickly, too quickly to not seem suspicious.

"Anyway, these homunculi said they were keeping me alive for there sakes." Ed continued after a pause. "They were told to."

Hughes sighed and smiled "Thanks for the information Ed, I'll take it from here. You get some rest ok? Why don't you and you're brother just worry about yourselves from now on. Same with you two" he glanced between Cara and Chloe. "Don't worry about this."

When he had left Cara sighed "I don't want to Hughes... I definetly don't want to."

"What's with you?" Ed asked. "You've been... quiet. Something bad happen in the lab?"

There was a pause before Cara said "I got my ass kicked obviously. Stupid attacks. That damn palmtree was playing me the whole time."

"That's not it." Ed said seriously.

A tense silence followed before Cara said "So you tried to bring your mom back to life?"

Ed's eyes widened "Wait how-"

"That bastard Envy said so. _'I thought for sure you'd have learned you're lesson after you're pathetic attempt to bring back mommy'" _She mimicked before glaring at him "So you want to tell me about that quite yet pipsqueak?

Ed looked away, seething in silence.

"Thought so" Cara walked twoards the door. "I'm going to Hughes' now. Don't wait up."

"Cara." Chloe stood. "Wait I-"

"What?" the red head turned to look at the girl.

"I... nevermind." she murmured.

"Ok." and Cara left.

* * *

Cara spent most of her time trying to avoid the action of the birthday party. Chloe seemed to enjoy it, but she's never liked crowds, and interacting with strangers made her really antsy. Instead she found herself in the empty living room again, staring at the music box.

"Nostalgia." She murmured, watching the gears turn. "It's a nice melody but it's hard to relate too... I try to forget about what I ran away from. I don't have much to remember at all except being on the streets with Chloe." she sighed. "I push memories past that out of my head cause... because..." she closed her eyes. Funny she couldn't remember why. Why did she try to forget about old memories? None of them were bad. Was it because she didn't want to be tempted to return to that time, to that family. Nothing about her old life had been really bad. She had left because she was afraid that-

"That's a pretty melody" Winry's voice cut through her thoughts. Cara looked up to see the blonde girl smiling above her. "Don't like parties that much?"

"People aren't my thing." Cara sighed. "You know."

"Yeah, Chloe's enjoying herself at least" Winry shrugged and sat down next to the Cara. There was a long pause before Winry asked "Hey um... if I asked you about what's going on between Ed and Al... would you tell me?"

Cara shook her head "I don't even have a clue Winry. Something happened but I got split up from them, I don't know exactly why Al's being so quiet. If anyone, I would ask Chloe. She's better at emotions then I am."

"Yeah, but she doesn't know either." Winry murmured. "I hate it... that they don't tell me anything. I'm always in the dark. They go and get themselves broken and then pop back in for repairs, torn to pieces. They don't tell me what happen and they're off again to get themselves beat up as soon as I repair them. It's..." Winry bit her lip. "It's hard watching people leave, not knowing if they'll come back. Like my parents..."

"They'll be fine Winry, you worry too much" Cara found herself saying. "It's ok, they watch eachothers back, and I won't let them die till they pay off their debt to me. I'm not one to get cheated out of a prize."

"Watch out for them please" Winry pleaded. "And you should watch out for Chloe too. She watches you're back. She's loyal to you Cara."

"Chloe is fine on her own, even without me. So are those brothers" Cara waved her hand dismissivly. "But sure. I'll look out for them."

"Why do you distance yourself from people so much?" Winry asked. "I don't know a thing about you Cara. Only Chloe seems to know anything and she doesn't even know that much. You insist constantly that she can live without you anyway."

"She's a smart kid" Cara shrugged.

"But that's not why! You're too afraid to make long term commitments... but I don't know what you're afraid of Cara! Why can't you help me understand?" Winry's voice had risen slightly as she spoke. "I just want to know about you. Why do you distance yourself so much? What are you afraid of?"

There was a very long silence before Cara replied "Nothing... there isn't a damn thing out there that can hurt me. Nothing out there in the world that I'm afraid of. Nothing that can't speed up the process at least."

"What process-"

"Never mind. It's not important" Cara waved her hand dismissivly and snapped the music box close. She rose and tossed the small wooden box back at Winry "Give this back to Hughes will you? Tell him thanks. It was a great party, really."

"...Sure..." Winry murmured.

By the shaky tone in her voice, she might've been crying but Cara never knew for sure. She never turned back to look.

* * *

"Oh you're back" Chloe heard Ed say as she entered the hospital room. "A little early isn't it?"

"Well you know, there's a lot of people in there." she shrugged and sat down on the floor. "See human souls give off vibrations and those are amplified by the material they move on, earth, metal, ect. The more unstable and conductive the material, like metal, the greater vibration produced. That's why Al's soul is so vibrant. It's soul, combined with metal and it also moves against earth. It's kind of complicated.

"I'll say. Was it your older brother who figured all of this out?" Ed asked.

"Yeah, all of it" Chloe smiled sadly.

There was a long pause before Ed asked "So I don't suppose you know what's going on with Ms. Mysterious do you?"

Chloe shook her head "She hasn't said a thing. Somethings bothering her, I know, but she isn't telling me what." she sighed. "There are some things I guess she'll never tell me. That's just Cara I guess."

"Yeah why does she have to be so damn stoic anyway?" Ed muttered. "She doesn't say jack. It's god damn annoying."

"You're not one to talk" Chloe pointed out. There was silence and she continued. "Cara doesn't like to get close to people for whatever reason. When I first met her she gave me three rules. Don't Hinder her, don't trust her, and don't rely on her." she ticked them off on her fingers. "I don't know, I've gotten close to her on some levels... and I really care about Cara. Whether she cares about me too, I'm not sure. She doesn't seem to care about anything. I don't know why..."

"Well, she seems to have an opposition to mentioning anything about her past. Or talk about her condition or whatever" Ed shrugged.

"Yeah..." Chloe smiled. "To be honest Ed, I don't think she cares about what happened to your bodies. She's never cared about the past."

"What? Then why is she-"

"She'll do that whole: I'll tell you when you tell me agreement, because she knows that you're to stubborn to cave. She knows that if you don't tell, then she doesn't have to tell. That's how she keeps the wool over your eyes. By tricking you into doing it yourself." Chloe laughed once. "Cara's good at that. Tricking, decieving. I can at least trust her to be a constant in that asspect, you know what I mean?"

"And it doesn't bother you?" Ed asked.

Chloe shrugged "I'm used to it. I really don't mind. That's just Cara."

She heard Ed sigh "Yeah... I guess so."

* * *

It was much later hen Cara finally headed back to the hospital. Ross was standing near the door when she came.

"Oh Cara" she smiled. "I think Ed was fixing Al on the roof. You should try there."

"Thanks, is Chloe there too?" Cara asked.

"No, I think she went out to look for you a little while ago." Ross shrugged. "I'm sure she'll come back soon."

"Oh, alright" Cara waved as she headed twoards the roof. "See ya, I guess."

The voices carried on the stairs as she headed up to the roof. Loud, angry voices.

"I can't remember parts of my past because they never happened! My memories and my soul are fake! Something you created! Isn't that what you wanted to tell me!" that was Al's voice. Cara picked up her pace.

"No!" Winry protested. "What Ed wanted to say was-"

"Don't lie to me!"

Cara opened the door in time to see Al swipe his hand at Winry, yelling these words. "I know what the truth is. The person Alphonse Elric never existed at all."

"That makes no sense! You and Ed have always been together" Winry said desperately. "I knew you when you were a boy, so did aunt Pinako! We were all friends. I'm you're friend Al, you can trust me!"

"Can I? Really?" Al asked harshly. "How can I believe anyone when there's no way to prove it? When I'm just a hollow shell, all three of you could be in on it together!"

"Is this a good time to point out that they have _photographic evidence!_" Cara exclaimed. "Because they do! And you're being really dense even for a tin can! I thought you were supposed to be smart!"

"How do I know that those weren't faked too!" Al yelled, rounding on Cara. "They could've been. Another boy who was there friend. Maybe one who died. Maybe that's just what they wanted to believe my body looked like."

"But you look like Ed you dumb ass!" Cara countered. "Or you did in those pictures."

"What do you know about it? You're just a thief who joined up with us! You know nothing about it!" Al yelled, swiping his hand twoards Cara. She ducked away and rolled back, coming up in a low crouch.

"Oh gee, how cold. I'm a thief. You know you could do well by telling me something I don't know. Then I might be impressed" Cara growled.

"Stop this!" Winry demanded.

"Is that all Al" Ed whispered. "Is there anything else you'd like to say?"

"What about you my so called brother?" Al demanded. "Why aren't you saying anything unless it's true!"

Al tried to move away but Ed caught his arm "Wait."

"Get off of me!" Al struggled. "What's the point of living this lie? I won't stay here!" he knocked Ed in the face and sent him flying back.

"Edward!" Winry ran to his side.

"S-stay away from me" Al backed up. "Get... get away!" he ran for the edge the roof and jumped over in panic.

_'Good thing he doesn't have a body, or this could get nasty' _Cara thought darkly.

"Al!" Ed ran to the railing. "Al wait!"

"Stop Ed" Winry pulled him back down. "You can't jump, wait!"

Cara sighed and grasped Ed's shoulder "Hey... pipsqueak... I doubt suicide is going to help win your brother over." she turned and began walking twoards the door. "We better go look for him. It looks like it'll rain soon."

"I...yeah..." Ed murmured.

_Even if his past was a fake _Cara thought to herself. _Who would want to abandon... someone who loves them so much. When they still have plenty of time to live. And who would risk their life to create a fake brother?_

_**I think this is the longest chapter yet!**_

**_Cara: Hoorah._**

**_Chloe: Sorry it took us so long._**

**_Envy: Review... because the elric idiots are angsty._**

**_Al and Ed: (angst)_**


	18. Chapter 17: Secrets and Doubts

**_SO here's the next chapter! We get some CARA INSIGHT!_**

**_Cara: Hooray angst._**

**_Chloe: With the usual, scattered levity._**

**_Ed: REVIEW!_**

**"There is nothing more dreadful than the habit of doubt. Doubt separates people. It is a poison that disintegrates friendships and breaks up pleasant relations. It is a thorn that irritates and hurts; it is a sword that kills." –Buddha**

"Where is Cara?" Chloe huffed, pausing in the street and trying to detect the familiar vibrations of her friend's knives for what seemed like the fiftieth time. "Maybe she already went back to the hospital… aw, man" she girl sighed and placed a hand on her forehead. "Why does she have to be so hard to track down? Maybe I should get her to put metal on the bottom of her shoes, I can never pick up her vibrations."

She began to walk down the sidewalk again, her gloved hands, stuffed in her pockets. Why was she so worried anyway? Cara could always take care of herself… but Cara seemed distracted by something and the homunculi worried Chloe too. She just wanted to know that Cara was fine.

The blind girl came to a stop at the feeling of tiny water droplets against her head. "Huh, guess it's starting to rain." She lifted her face to the sky and closed her eyes, letting rain drops splash against her skin. She couldn't see, but that just meant she could appreciate being able to hear, smell and _feel_ more. She loved the rain, as did Cara.

"At least this'll clear the streets a little more." Chloe smiled and continued her walk. "Let's see, I should get back to the hospital and ask Ed if Cara came through… I think I go this way." She ducked onto a more narrow stretch of street, an alley. It should cut through the buildings and take her back to the street the hospital was on if she was right.

"Are you lost little girl?" a hoarse voice jeered.

Chloe stopped, there was someone coming towards her from the front… there was metal on him… knives maybe?

"Nope, not at all" Chloe smiled brightly, her hands clenching slightly in the safety of her pockets. '_To bash with rock or not to bash with rock?' _"Thanks for asking though."

"Where you headed?" another voice asked. Now there were vibrations coming from behind, two sets.

_'Not good' _Chloe thought, tensing. _'Can I get all three of them in one go? If not one of them could easily grab me and I'd be off the ground. What do I do?'_

"Not with you." She replied coolly. She needed away out… below her, the sewers, that would work.

The first voice laughed "Oh, the kitten has claws! She gonna scratch us?"

Chloe closed her eyes and smiled "No… but you know what I am going to do?"

"What's that?" the second man cackled.

"Get the heck out of here" Chloe ripped her gloved hands from her pockets and slammed them to the ground, creating a hole around her. She dropped through and into the dark of the sewers, landing in a crouch on the slimy stone floor. She quickly sealed the hole again before the men could follow her down.

"Close one…" she sighed, standing. "Ugh, it stinks in here… now where am I? There's got to be a way out." She paused and concentrated. "Wait a sec… there are people close by… down in the sewers?" Her eyes closed for a minute. "And I'm sure that's…isn't that Scar?... And…" her eyes snapped open. "Al?"

* * *

"Have you seen anyone in a suit of armor?" Winry asked a man on the street, under cover of her umbrella.

"No, sorry" the man shook his head and walked on.

Ed sighed, staring at the ground. "Al…"

"Don't worry Ed, we'll find him." Winry encouraged, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Cara? Any luck?"

Cara seemed to snap out of a daze as she stared up at the grey sky "Uh… no. No luck."

"Oh… ok." Winry leaned over to Ed and whispered. "Hey, do you know what's up with Cara?"

"Not a clue" he shrugged, his eyes trained on the distracted red head. She was fidgeting with the bandage on her hand, absentmindedly, staring at the rain drops as they hit the ground. He had to admit, he had been curious too. Then again, he was almost always curious about what went on in the thief's head.

_'To be honest Ed, I don't think she cares about what happened to your bodies. She's never cared about the past.'_

That's what Chloe had said. Was it true? Had Cara only made that deal as a safe guard so she didn't have to open up?

_'That's how she keeps the wool over your eyes, by tricking you into doing it yourself.'_

Ed reached out and grabbed Cara's wrist "Hey, Cara…"

* * *

"Who's there?" the voice of a man asked, followed by the click of a gun.

"Wait, don't shoot" Chloe held up her hands. "I'm kind of lost right now. I had to make a sewer escape from these guys who were chasing me and I need help getting back to the surface."

"You have transmutation circles on your hands" the man growled. "You are an alchemist that profanes God! Are you a state alchemist?"

"No, nothing like that! I'm just lost and-"

"Liar, you're here to sell us out to the military aren't you?"

"Why would I do that?" Chloe asked, confused.

"Because were Ishbalan!"

"Oh you are? I didn't know that."

"I have the red eyes and brown skin! Are you blind?"

"Why yes sir, I actually am." Chloe sighed and waved her hand in front of her face.

"Don't mess with me brat!" the man yelled angrily.

"Ah, man" Chloe sighed, and placed a hand to her forehead. "I'm not trying to tick you off or anything sir."

"Relax" a familiar voice said as a patch of large vibrations met her. "She is not a threat to us."

"Scar" she murmured.

"Why are you here girl?" the scarred Ishbalan asked.

"Like I was saying, I had to ditch some creeps up top and I ended up lost down here. Sorry, I didn't mean to stumble upon all this." She smiled. "Um… correct me if I'm wrong… but Al is here right?"

"Chloe?" a voice came in answer, followed by the sound of clanking metal. "What are you doing here?"

"Got lost" she shrugged sheepishly. "What about you? Where's Ed?"

There was silence for a moment before Al said "I don't care… where he is."

Chloe's eyes widened "What?"

"I don't want to talk about it." Al shook his head. "You can come with us if you want. Scar and I are trying to bring back two kids who just ran off."

"Uh… sure" Chloe murmured. "I need to get back to the surface anyway." She followed after Scar and Al in silence.

_'What happened between Ed and Al? What's going on?' _Chloe bit her lip. _'They're… so close… what could have possibly happened? I'll weasel it out of Al eventually. Could have something to do with why Al was being so quiet the past few days?' _Whatever it was, she drove it out of her mind and continued to follow behind.

* * *

"Hey, Cara" Ed caught the red head's wrist as she began to move forward again.

"What?" she asked, turning back to look at the glaring alchemist.

His eyes narrowed "Al and I tried to bring our mother back to life, human transmutation. It's forbidden to perform that, and impossible. What came back wasn't human. As a result I lost my leg and my brother lost everything. I pulled his soul back for the price of my arm. That's why we're searching for the philosophers stone… that's why our bodies are the way they are." He released her wrist. "Equivalent exchange. Now you have to tell me about those attacks, and why you keep your distance from everyone."

Cara stared at him in shock for a minute, her mouth slightly open before a smirk curled over her face "Well, damn… And here I thought you would never cave… Now I actually have to tell you." She rubbed a hand over her face. "I guess you figured out that I never actually cared about you're past in the first place."

"Yeah, you had me fooled for awhile" Ed growled. "And it pissed me off! Now out with it. What's the big secret?"

Winry was staring at Cara expectantly as well.

Cara sighed and closed her eyes, pressing her lips together.

"I told you what you wanted to know… or what you didn't want to know at least. But we had a deal." Ed growled, clamping a hand on Cara's shoulder and shaking her slightly. "Answer me Cara. Why do you have to be so cryptic damn it! What could really be so bad? Tell me!"

"I'm dying Edward."

Ed drew in a sharp breath, Winry gasped and a hand flew up to cover her mouth. "You're…dying?" he repeated, staring at her with wide eyes. Cara shook off Ed's now loosened grip from her shoulder and sighed. She turned her face skyward, opening her eyes again.

"Yeah, that's right. Dying. These attacks I'm having? You might call them 'symptoms'. I found out about five years ago. I had my first attack when I was ten. No one but my adopted older brother was around at the time. I made him swear not to tell anyone, he agreed. A few days later I snuck out and went to the doctor in town. He said that he had never seen anything like what I had before. In the end they labeled it off as a fatal disease and said there was no cure."

"So then, you might not be dying?" Ed tried, in an attempt to be optimistic, something he was never good at.

Cara laughed once "Oh no, I'm dying pipsqueak." Ed couldn't bring himself to get angry at the nickname at the time. "The attacks just keep getting closer and closer together, they keep on occurring more and more frequently." Cara glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. "So what do you think happens when there is no more gap?"

Ed winced and stared at the ground "So that's… why you left home."

"I'd say I had good intentions for my 'family' so called, and that I just didn't want to hurt them, but I'd be lying. I left because I didn't want to tell them; because I was too much of a coward to tell them. I've tried a few times to convince myself that I really just wanted them to not worry, but Hell, I made them worry anyway. I was really just being selfish." Cara shrugged lightly. "Not that that has ever been a problem for me, lying, being selfish. I'm a thief after all… and a liar."

"Oh my god…" Winry whispered. "Cara I…"

"Well, you wanted to know didn't you?" Cara asked, looking at Winry. "What I was afraid of? Why I wouldn't get attached? There isn't a thing out there I'm afraid of. The only thing that can hurt me… is myself. My own body is eating itself away and I don't know why."

"I thought you weren't afraid of death" Ed murmured. "At least that's what you said in the cemetery."

"I didn't lie." Cara said evenly. "I answered that I wasn't afraid of _being _dead. That's the truth. I'm not afraid of whatever comes after life. I don't care about that… what I am afraid of, is getting there." She gritted her teeth. "Cause it'll be Hell… even before I make it to deaths gates. Death will be a _release_ at that point. But the way to death? I'm not looking forward to it. Funny, the reason I'm not really afraid of anything else… is because nothing can hurt me worse than myself… and killing me would only speed up the process. I don't fear anything else because of my greatest fear, ironically enough."

She clenched her fists. "But… if I can just get the philosophers stone… maybe I can…" she trailed off and swallowed.

Ed had never seen the thief like this. Though she still maintained the thin air of indifference around her, her eyes said something different. There was anger, which was not so out of place, but there was also fear. He had never once see Cara afraid. Not against Scar, not when she was about to be fed into the philosophers stone. He had seen her pissed off and in pain, but never afraid. But now…

There was a long pause before Ed asked "Chloe doesn't know does she?"

"…She knows it's a possibility." Cara murmured.

"That's not the point Cara." Ed's eyes narrowed. "She's you're companion. You haven't told her you're going to die eventually without the stone… have you?"

Her silence was an obvious answer and he sighed "You never want to tell anyone anything do you? Just how many secrets do you keep?"

Cara's face darkened "As many as I need to… And I'm good at keeping them." Her eyes met his "So now you know. Happy?"

"Happy?" Ed stared. "No, learning that someone's going to die isn't something that makes me happy Cara."

"On the plus side, you don't have to worry about me too long, since you hate me" she smirked darkly. "Nature will do the work and kill me for you." She began to walk forward again but Ed caught her wrist. "What now?" she sighed.

"I don't hate you… you know that right? You're annoying, and your moral standards leave something to be desired… but I really don't hate you."

"Please don't…" Cara whispered. "Please don't try… to make me care…"

"Why, because you're afraid you will?" Ed challenged.

She said nothing, but jerked her wrist out of Ed's grip and continued forward.

"You won't get anything else out of her" Winry murmured, resting a hand on his shoulder. "We should focus on finding Al."

"Something's got to give eventually." Ed muttered. "I'll make her crack. I swear I will. She's annoying like this." He sighed. "And I have a feeling that isn't what's bothering her. Something else is wrong. I'm going to find out if it kills me."

_'And it might.'_

* * *

"Al," Chloe stopped walking on the way back to the sewers with the lost kids. "Hold on a second."

"Is something wrong Chloe?" Al asked.

"I don't know, you tell me." She glared in his general direction, trying to make herself sound threatening. "What happened between you and Ed? I'm not just going to let this pass Al and not ask questions. Tell me."

"I…" Al seemed taken aback. "Chloe look I don't-"

"Tough. Don't make me punch you."

"You'll only hurt yourself if you do that."

"I mean with a giant fist of _rock _Al!"

"Oh…" Al sighed. "Chloe I… you say that the soul sends out vibrations… does mine feel the same as any other human soul?"

"Hard to tell." Chloe shrugged. "Because of the metal and all, you're soul's vibrations are amplified. I can't really pick them apart. What does that have to do with anything?"

"I'm… a fake… an artificial soul that my so called brother created. I think I've finally figured it out. He implanted fake memories into my mind. I can never get my real body back because I never existed. It's all been a trick!" Al's thoughts spilled out all at once, his voice rising in pitch and volume as he continued to speak.

Chloe was silent for a minute before she asked "So Al… You come up with this all by yourself?" her fists clenched. "You… Idiot!" Her foot stamped the ground and a stone fist emerged in a crackle of alchemic light. The projectile slammed into Al and sent him flying back into a wall. "What kind of person would sacrifice his body to create a fake brother? What kind of person would be that stupid? Who would get the whole town in on a conspiracy theory against you? Have you even stopped to think about this?" She bit her lips, forcing herself to lower her voice. "How could you… You may not have a body Al, but you're real. Did you say this to Ed? How can you even think that someone who obviously loves you so much wouldn't be your real brother? You idiot! You stupid idiot!"

It was the only word that came to Chloe's mind at the moment. Idiot, that's what Al was.

"Chloe…" was all Al could manage to say. "I…"

"Never mind." Chloe growled, stalking past him. "I'm not going to make up your mind for you Al, but stop and think logically for a second. You're an alchemist, you should be good at that… but…" she paused for a minute before yelling. "But I'm not talking to you till you stop being idiotic! I'm going to ignore you!"

"Chloe!" Al jumped to his feet and trotted after her. "Wait for me!"

"Ignoring!" Chloe reminded him sharply, slapping her hand back his chest plate with a clang.

Al sighed and the walk continued in silence.

* * *

"You've heard from Al?" Ed gasped into the phone.

"Yes," Ross said on the other line. "He called in awhile ago, asking where a group of Mercenaries were hiding. But I don't know what he's planning."

"Do you know where he went?" Ed asked, desperately.

"Yes… They're using an old military insulation on the outskirts of the city, near the lab district." Ross answered.

"Thanks Ross, I owe you" Ed hung up and turned to Cara and Winry "We're going, let's hurry."

* * *

"I hear fighting" Cara called as they neared the location.

"I do to." Ed muttered. "Someone is causing a ruckus."

"Think its Al?" Winry asked.

"Yeah, it has to be" Ed nodded.

A new, wild voice met Cara's ears as they rounded the corner "Once I put you out of your misery, you won't have to worry about what's real and what's fake will you? Won't that be nice!"

They turned to see another suit of armor knock all back several feet before charging at him, a butcher knife raised over his head, a animalistic yell echoing from inside the armor.

"You leave him alone!" Ed yelled, rushing forward, his arm already transmuted into a blade. He blocked the slash of the blade before it hit Al, though Cara didn't see what purpose this served, as Al was in fact, hollow armor and could not feel pain.

"Brother…" Al raised his head in surprise. "What are you doing here…"

"That's a stupid question!" Winry yelled. "He's been worried sick about you! We've been looking for you all over Central!"

"I…brother…" Al regained his footing and punched the other psychotic armor hard in the face, sending him flying back. The mercenaries in military uniform began shooting at the brothers and Ed created a stone barrier in front of them.

"Al, all this time I've been too afraid to ask you" Ed yelled from behind the barrier. "But it's my fault you don't have a real body anymore and I want to know the truth ok? I need to know, do you hate me?

Half of the wall was blasted away and Ed fell forward onto his knees, Al stared at him in shock "What?"

"I'd understand it if you did Al." Ed muttered. "But I just want to know ok? Do you hate me for all that's happened?"

"That's… what you've been wanting to ask me?"

"Al behind you!" Winry cried, pointing towards the recovered psychotic armor as it lunged at him.

"Brother…" Al stood. "I could never… I could never hate you!" he punched the armor with full force, breaking part of the skull face and sending him flying back with a wild cry.

"Well now that's settled" Cara sighed, a smile creeping slightly onto her face. Then she heard the unmistakable voice of Chloe.

"Let me go! Put me down!"

She turned to see Chloe off to the far right of the building, struggling in the grasp of one of the larger men, her feet kicking helplessly through air. Up there… she was blind. Cara sprinted for the struggle.

"Quit struggling little minx!" the man growled, pulling out a knife.

Chloe growled and kicked back, managing to sink a foot between his legs. He yelled in pain and dropped her on the ground before raising the blade above her. "Die girly!"

Cara caught his wrist as it descended and forced it up above her head, her gold eyes narrowed as she stood in front of Chloe. "Anyone ever tell you…" she asked, a malicious smirk drawing over her lips as a one of her own blades slipped into her hand. "To pick on someone your own size?" She jammed the blade into his gut and pushed him back into the wall. Disgusted, she wiped the blood off her knife on the grass.

"Cara…" Chloe breathed. "Where the heck have you been? I was looking all over for you!"

"Back at the hospital ok? Geez, give me a break!" Cara sighed, slipping her knife back up her sleeve and holding out a hand to Chloe. "Way to almost get yourself killed shrimp. Are you really that incompetent?"

"Give the blind girl a break!"

"Don't pull that crap on me, you can see just as well with those shoes! You're just sloppy in fights."

"Alright, fine, I'm sloppy. Forgive me oh merciful master!"

"Put a cap on the sarcasm ok kid?"

"You use it all the time!"

"I know, but I am the queen of sarcasm. You on the other hand are supposed to be a picture of innocence."

"I hang out with you, that's not possible."

"Hey, you'll wake up the whole city if you two keep this up." Ed sighed, coming up behind Cara, followed by Al.

"You do that enough with your short rants pipsqueak" Cara smirked.

"I'm not short, STRAWBERRY PATCH!" Ed yelled.

"What's that neighbors? You're being woken up by Ed? Oh I'm sorry, I'll keep him in line."

"Why you-"

"They're at it again." Al sighed.

"Yeah, they do this a lot" Chloe nodded.

"I thought you were ignoring me." Al said.

"You two have obviously made up and now your idiocy is no longer an issue" Chloe smiled. "So I can suspend my ignorance of you now."

"That's good" Al smiled.

"So, Cara" Ed lowered his voice. "You certainly rushed over to save Chloe didn't you?"

Cara shrugged indifferently. "The runt keeps me entertained."

"You already care, Cara" Ed shook his head. "You care about what happens to Chloe."

Cara said nothing. But she knew he was right… that was the problem.

* * *

_**Whew... long chapter... I'm beat.**_

**_Cara: Review!_**


	19. Chapter 18: Goodbye

**__****Ok so here's the next chapter. I'm actually pretty proud of it. I took a few creative liberties on writing one of the scenes, you'll see which one.**

**_Cara: This isn't out right angst but you'll still be depressed._**

**_Chloe: Yep, because Kallypso loves driving you into depressions._**

_**Envy: Review or die... the usual.**_

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* * *

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_ "You and I will meet again, When we're least expecting it, One day in some far off place, I will recognize your face, _

_ I won't say goodbye my friend, For you and I will meet again"- Tom Petty_

"So I heard from the Elrics that you're going to visit their teacher down in Dublith" Hughes said conversationally.

Cara was sitting by him on a park bench between the cemetery and the hospital, eating some of Gracia's amazing homemade pie, mostly just listening to him talk. Whenever she was with Hughes she always felt inclined to let him run the conversation. He always had plenty to say after all.

"That's right" Cara said between mouthfuls. Of course that wasn't the actual plan. Ed wanted to chase after Scar and see if there was another way to make the philosophers stone that didn't involve human lives. It was a long shot in her opinion but anything was possible. "There teacher seems insane. I'm glad I'll get to meet her."

"Hmm" Hughes sighed. "I'm going to keep investigating this even though you guys are strongly hinting that I shouldn't. This isn't information we can just drop."

"I expected you'd say that." Cara sighed. "Just be careful ok? They can't be killed you know."

"What?" Hughes stared. "You forgot to mention this."

"I threw a knife at the shape shifting one when I was fighting him and got him straight between the eyes" she tapped her forehead. "A minute later he pulled it out like it was nothing and the wound healed before my eyes. Pretty weird stuff. It only deters them for a second."

"You said you fought the one who shape shifts, are you sure that's not just part of his powers?" Hughes asked.

"Not the way he was describing it. He said: I'm a homunculus, I can't die." Cara shrugged. "But it's always possible that this just pertains to him."

"I'll be careful Cara" Hughes sighed, patting her on the shoulder. "In the mean time you do the same. I know very well those boys are planning something more dangerous. Take care of them and yourself."

"Why does everyone seem to want me to take care of those boys? They can take care of themselves" Cara grumbled.

"Because in return they'll take care of you." Hughes smiled. "I'm no alchemist but I understand the concept of equivalent exchange. Maybe it's a childish thing to believe it also applies to the real world but I believe it does to an extent. You have to watch each other's backs."

"…Yeah I guess" Cara sighed. "I'm glad we're leaving. Walking around out in the open in a big city like this makes me a little antsy."

"Hmm, well, I better get back to work. I'll be there to see you guys off at the station later this afternoon ok?" Hughes stood and patted Cara on the shoulder. "See you then."

"Yeah." Cara fiddled with her bandage for a second. "Uh… hey Hughes."

"Yes?" Hughes turned around and looked at her expectantly.

Cara was inclined to tell him for a moment. She could trust Hughes, she knew she could. But she suddenly lost the guts and sighed. "Thanks for being nice to me and all, and letting me into your home. I owe you."

"Not a problem Cara" Hughes waved. "Later."

"Yeah… bye." Cara sighed. What he didn't know couldn't hurt him. Only Chloe knew and the girl had probably made the connection. Though she was keeping the secret from Ed and Al. She didn't want Cara to get in trouble. "And if I was a threat?" Cara mused. "What would happen… that shrimp trusts me way too much."

* * *

"Boarding time!" Ed called, motioning Cara and Chloe to get on the train. "Come on, let's go."

"We have ten minutes before the train kicks off, settle down" Cara grumbled.

"Good bye Elric brothers" Armstrong said, looking like he was about to get all emotional. "Good luck on your journey."

"Yeah, see you Edward" Bloch grinned.

"Bye" Ross smiled.

"Thanks" Ed grinned. "Cara, why are you lagging? Who are you looking for?"

_'Hughes is supposed to come' _she thought but she didn't dare say that out loud. "Nothing. Let's go." She started to board when she heard a familiar voice.

"Not leaving without saying good bye to me are you?"

"Oh, Lieutenant Colonel. You made it!" Ed grinned.

Hughes was accompanied by his wife and daughter, who sat on his shoulder, beaming. Gracia had a warm pie in her hands, which she held out to Ed.

"For the trip. You all seemed to like this pie a lot so here you go."

"Wow thanks" Ed took the pie, grinning. "Thanks a lot Ms. Gracia."

"And Cara" Hughes pulled a box out from his jacket, smiling like he was enjoying some private joke. "Here's a little gift for you too. You can open it later if you want."

"Uh… thanks Hughes" Cara took the box. "You really didn't have to-"

"Don't worry, it's an old hand me down. I didn't spend a cent" Hughes winked. "I'm glad I met you Cara. Drop by next time you're in Central."

"I'll do that" Cara nodded, hopping onto the train. "Well the others have already gotten on. I'll see you later."

"Bye bye!" Elysia waved. "Big sis!"

Cara stared and laughed "Yeah, see you kiddo."

* * *

"You don't think the brothers being hospitalized was important information Hughes?" Mustang growled through the phone.

"I'm sorry I thought I told you" Hughes lied. "Just minor scrapes, really. The brothers and the girls left this morning."

"What girls?" Mustang asked.

"Oh I didn't tell you? They're traveling with a thief and a blind alchemist now. Man did I not tell you that either?"

"No as a matter of fact, you didn't."

"Woops… Anyway, on another note, I hear your transfer to Central will be finalized soon so you should hurry up and get important here so that we can have an easier time" Hughes grinned. "And find yourself a good wife."

The phone line went dead.

Hughes sighed as the smile slipped off his face "I'm not going to be able to keep him in the dark forever." He took off his glasses and rubbed a hand over his face. "Man… something else is going on here. The brothers want me to keep my nose out… but I still have to check on one more thing."

* * *

"Douglas" Hughes muttered as he looked over the text on the Ishbalan rebellion. "Why does that name sound so familiar?"

"Sir" Sheska called. "The Fuhrer's secretary is on the line."

Hughes picked up the phone "Yes, this is Lieutenant Colonel Hughes."

"Dr. Marco has arrived in Central. He'll be waiting for you at the hotel." The secretary told him.

"Right, thanks for working so late. I'll head over there now." Hughes hung up the phone before something dawned on him. "Douglas. Juliet Douglas!"

* * *

"Thanks again for going to all this trouble" Hughes smiled congenially as he followed the secretary down the hall. "Tell me, Ms. Douglas… do you know anything about the Ishbal Rebellion?"

"No" the secretary said in her usual, monotone voice. "I've done desk work my whole life."

"Yeah me too, but I've looked some stuff up recently" Hughes mused. "Did you know that the war was triggered by a soldier who was supposed to be there to keep the peace? Apparently she shot a helpless Ishbalan child and that became their rallying cry. The weird thing is, that soldiers name was Juliet Douglas."

"A common name Lieutenant Colonel" Ms. Douglas said indifferently.

"Here's where it really gets interesting" Hughes persisted. "According to the records, the soldier with that name died two years before the war. Another strange thing is although the soldier named Juliet Douglas was reportedly killed, she was never removed from the active duty list. In fact that same soldier landed a big promotion two years ago."

The woman stopped and turned towards him, her expression never changing. "She was selected to become the Fuhrer's secretary."

"Who are you really?" Hughes asked, feeling sweat start to bead on his forehead. He was treading into dangerous territory here. The secretary didn't appear to have any weapons on her but what if she happened to be one of the homunculi with the oroborus tattoos? Still, he couldn't turn back now. "Were you in Ishbal? Or did you come later, using the military's mistake to sneak in with her records."

"The doctor is waiting for you" the secretary closed her eyes. Her lack of emotion was seriously creepy.

"Is Marco really behind that door?" Hughes stepped forward. "Guess I'll find out."

The door behind him swung open and he whirled only to come face to face with a tall woman with long wavy black hair. Her sharp, elongated nails were pointed at his neck.

"A pleasure to meet you" she smirked. "Or should I say, goodbye Lieutenant Colonel."

Hughes eyes trailed to the oroborus tattoo on her chest. So she was one of the homunculi. "That's one sexy tattoo you've got there babe."

The nails shot out at him, nicking him in the shoulder as he drew a knife and threw it at the woman, hitting her right between the eyes. The sound of gun fire met his ears and he turned to see Second Lieutenant Maria Ross running down the hall, towards him.

"Run sir!"

Hughes did just that. _'Damn it… I'm in way over my head. I need to tell Roy about this. Before it's too late.'_

* * *

"Damn it Roy you're acting stupid again" Hughes growled, slamming down the receiver in the phone booth. "Information like this could take you straight to the top!"

"We should go somewhere safe sir" Ross suggested.

"Yeah, you're right, not like I've lost any evidence here" Hughes sighed, letting a knife slip into his hand. "But now there's something I'd like to take up with you _'Maria Ross'_" He raised the knife so that it was level with the woman's throat. "The lieutenant has a mole under her left eye."

"Oh is that so?" the imposter smirked, turning around. "How careless of me." There was a small flash as she tapped the skin and a mole appeared.

"That's quite a talent. So" Hughes' eyes narrowed. "You're the shape shifter, Envy."

The imposter raised an eyebrow "You've heard of me?"

"I have a friend who ran into in lab five" Hughes said, trying to keep his face light.

Envy sighed "Oh the red headed brat is a friend of yours huh?"

"That's right" Hughes replied evenly.

"Well" the shape shifter smirked. "I imagine she would be mad at me if I killed you, but I'd like to kill her myself."

"You won't touch Cara or the Elric brothers" Hughes growled.

"You won't have any say in that" Envy started to draw a gun from the military uniform but Hughes moved quicker, slashing the creature's throat. The imposter fell to the ground, twitching reflexively.

"I hope you'll forgive me" Hughes sighed, turning away. "But I have a wife and daughter at home."

He heard a flashing sound behind him. He whirled, ready to throw his knife, only to find himself staring at his wife.

"You're right Hughes, maybe this is a more fitting end."

There was a shot and he felt a blast of pain in his abdomen. _'No…' _He fell back, falling hard against the stone ground. _'No… Gracia… Elysia…"_

"Didn't the red head tell you?" he heard a new voice smirk. He saw for the first time, the shape shifters real form kneeling over him. "I can't be killed that easily." He grinned and waved a picture in front of Hughes as his vision began to blur. A picture of him and his wife and daughter. "Thanks for giving me a resource to go off of. Makes things so much fun."

"Well" Hughes coughed up a bit of blood. "Thanks for letting me see my wife and daughter one last time…"

Envy smirked and let the picture drop from his fingers and flutter down, landing on Hughes' chest. _'I'm sorry Gracia… Elysia… I should've listened… to the brothers and Cara… Damn… I was way too late…' _Then he knew no more.

* * *

"So he's dead then" Lust sighed, coming up behind Envy, Sloth close behind her.

"Yep." Envy stood staring down at the body of the dead man. "Human's really are fragile things."

"Fool… he should've kept his nose out of things. If he had, he'd still be alive" Sloth shook her head before looking at the other two homunculi. "I believe you two are due down South. Pick up Gluttony before you go. Oh and Envy,"

Envy looked back at the secretary, eyebrow raised "Yeah?"

"Don't kill the Elric brothers, remember what the master said."

"Tch, I know" Envy rolled his eyes. "What about the others? The red head and the girl traveling with her.

"Keep the one who is an alchemist alive for now." Sloth said. "As for the thief… if she gets in the way, feel free to kill her. She is of no use to us." She brushed her hair from her face "I should get back to the Fuhrer's office."

"…You'd think she was _older _than us the way she talks" Envy growled when the woman was out of ear shot. "It's damn annoying."

"I don't care for her either." Lust shrugged. "But the orders come from our master."

"Whatever" Envy rolled his eyes. "Hey… Lust I have a question. Have you seen that thief before the other night?"

"No why?" Lust asked.

"The oroborus tattoo seemed to catch her eye. She lost her composer." Envy shrugged. "I thought you might've seen her during one of our little projects."

"I don't recall, I feel like I would've have recognized her though…" Lust mused.

"Hmm" Envy picked at his nails thoughtfully. "You know… she wears this bandage on her right hand but she fights with it like she's not injured at all. There's no hint that it gives her any trouble. Makes you think that she's hiding something."

"Are you suggesting that-"

"It's just a thought" Envy shrugged. "Come on. We're leaving." He cast one last look at the dead man's body before the two homunculi disappeared into the night.

* * *

"Man, this pie is just delicious" Ed wolfed down more of the pie. "I could eat this stuff all day."

"You _have_ been eating it all day" Cara rolled her eyes.

"You have too!"

"Indeed I have."

"Hughes, Gracia and his cute little daughter are such a perfect family." Winry sighed.

"Yeah, but Hughes is obnoxious, always bragging over his daughter and all." Ed shrugged.

"But he's been really nice." Al pointed out.

"Yeah, he seems to care for us a lot." Chloe nodded.

"Maybe." Ed shrugged.

"You should thank him next time you're in Central" Winry suggested. "Really, he's done a lot for you."

"A little too much" Cara muttered. "He's going to get himself into trouble one day."

"Oh yeah, that reminds me, didn't he hand you something earlier?" Ed asked. "A present or something?"

"Oh that's right! I forgot." Cara pulled out the box from her pocket and undid the white ribbon wrapped around it. A note was wrapped up in the ribbon.

_Dear Cara,_

_It'll just be decoration at our place and you really seem to like it._

_Nostalgia can be a funny thing can't it? I'm glad to have met you._

_-Maes Hughes._

Cara smiled and opened the package to find the tiny wooden music box sitting inside it.

"What's that?" Ed asked.

"Just an inside joke." Cara sighed, running her thumb over the box before flipping it open and allowing the tune to play softly.

"It's pretty" Al commented.

"Mmhmm" Chloe smiled, closing her eyes as she listened.

"So he actually gave you that old thing" Winry smiled. "He knows you pretty well."

Cara shrugged and closed the box again, getting a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. She had the oddest feeling she wouldn't see Hughes again for awhile. Sighing she shook the feeling off.

_'Thanks Hughes… I'll see you soon I hope.'_

* * *

_**Wah! Hughes is dead!**_

**Cara: You abomination.**

**Envy: Sigh... everyone is going to hate me now... oh well.**

**No don't worry I don't hate you... I just minorley despise you right now.**

**Envy: The difference?**

**Chloe: There is none.**

**Ed: REVIEW!**


	20. Chapter 19: A Favor

**_Ok, sorry this chapter took a little bit._**

**_Cara: She was being lazy again._**

**_Envy: As usual._**

**_I'm never lazy._**

**_Chloe: Yes you are._**

**_THAT'S BECAUSE SUMMER IS ALMOS OVER! WAH!_**

**_Ed: There, there._**

**_Al: REVIEW!_**

* * *

_"The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires."- William Arthur Ward_

Cara never thought she would be sitting with the Elric's when they were tied up. Then again, she never thought their teacher could be so bad ass.

They had stopped in Risenbol on the way for Winry and after a day or two they had plans to leave for Ishbal. Then the giant man named Sig had come, accompanied by the all powerful dragon, psycho woman teacher: Izumi. She was tall, with dark dreads, and a steely dark gaze. Not to mention she made Ed and Al weak with fear: the same boys who faced undead homunculi and a psycho that blew shit up with his arm.

Cara loved this woman.

"You know, the least you could do is untie us" Ed grumbled.

"Come one Ed, where would be the fun in that?" Cara smirked.

"Screw you."

"Oh lighten up" the red head rolled her eyes. "Besides, do you think I want to get on your teacher's bad side?"

"She has a point" Chloe sighed, holding up a finger. "That lady may be awesome but I would fear for my life if I was in your position."

"Gee, thanks Chloe. You really know how to cheer us up" Ed muttered.

"Are you sure you two will be ok?" Winry asked.

"Yeah, we just didn't expect her to come looking for us" Al sighed.

"Damn it" Ed cursed. "She took my watch, and I can't exactly say I'm comfortable in this position. It looks like we're headed directly for Dublith."

"I'm kind of surprised. I expected an old crone or something, but your teacher is actually a very beautiful woman" Winry speculated.

"How are you surprise?" Ed asked. "You met her years ago."

"I don't remember" Winry shook her head.

"It was that day it wouldn't stop raining." Al explained. "She came and sealed up the dam and saved the town. Then we begged her the next day to take us in as her apprentices."

"Oh… that's right. I guess it's been awhile." Winry smiled. "You guys left that day and didn't come back for a few months."

"Got it!" Ed said triumphantly as the ropes fell away. "Let's move out!"

"Uh Ed I don't think that you should-" Chloe started but in that next moment a silver watch flew through the air and clocked Ed right in the face, sending him to the ground. Chloe sighed "I was going to tell you she was heading this way, but I guess you've figured that out by now."

"Yeah, thanks a lot Chloe" Ed muttered, sitting up.

"All that work and you still haven't learned a thing." Izumi glared at the boys.

"You are awesome" Cara said flatly. "Especially for an old lady."

Quicker than lightning, Izumi snatched up the fallen watch and chucked it in Cara's direction. She ducked her head and it soared over her, hitting the back wall and making a dent.

Izumi cracked her knuckles "Don't call me old… you have quick reflexes you know."

"Thanks, I'd like to thinks so." Cara smirked crossing her arms. "I think we're going to get along well."

"This won't be good" Chloe sighed, placing a hand against her forehead.

* * *

"So much for our escape plan" Al whimpered as they group followed Izumi through the town. The boys were looking less than fine, thought Cara herself was cheerful as could be.

"Yeah" Ed muttered in agreement. "I get the chills just thinking about what she's going to do to us."

"Hey Izumi! Welcome back!" Cara turned to see a large muscular boy walking towards them, a huge sack of grain slung over one shoulder. He was grinning ear to ear.

"Hey there Mason," Ed grinned.

"Oh Edward! It's been awhile since I've seen you." Mason patted him on the head. "Look at that, you've finally grown some!"

"He loves to piss me off" Ed muttered.

"And whose the armored psychic?" Mason asked, staring up at Al.

"Uh…" Al shifted from foot to foot awkwardly. "It's me Mason, his little brother Alphonse."

Mason stared "Wow, that's one heck of a growths spurt." He turned to look at the other two girls. "And who are these two?"

"Yo" Cara waved once. "I'm Cara, the shrimp is Chloe."

"I thought the shrimp was Ed?" Mason joked.

Cara smirked "No, no, he's the pipsqueak."

"Oh I see."

"I'M STANDING RIGHT HERE YOU JERKS!" Ed snapped.

"Don't make a scene Edward" Izumi ordered in a calm deadly voice.

"Yes ma'am" he muttered, bowing his head in submission.

* * *

"Aren't you going to eat Ed?" Winry asked later at the dinner table.

"No thanks" Ed shook his head.

"Eat it now Edward" Izumi ordered.

"Yes ma'am."

"So Cara, Chloe, why are you two traveling with the brothers?" Mason asked. "Did Ed pick up a girl friend?"

Cara snickered at Ed's flushed expression "He wishes."

"I DO NOT!" Ed snapped.

"Do too. Anyway, no, it's not like that." Cara shook her head and jerked her thumb in Ed's direction. "He owes us for saving his ass so we're tagging along."

"From what Ed and Al told us earlier, it sounds like you guys have been on one brutal journey." Mason continued.

"Well it hasn't been all bad" Al protested. "We've helped a lot of people on the way. We delivered a ladies baby a few years back."

"We didn't much help" Ed laughed. "We just ran around screaming, thinking she was going to die."

"Yeah that's right." Al laughed as well.

"What about you Ms. Izumi?" Winry asked. "Do you have any children?"

Mason stood suddenly, his expression one of surprise before he smiled nervously. "Uh… sorry I just um… uh" he clapped his hands on the table a few times. "Uh… you've improved your alchemy right Ed? Can I see some?"

"Sure, if you want." Ed nodded and Cara noticed Mason sigh with relief.

"You have fun with that. Alchemy isn't really my thing" Cara stood.

"Well then, do you and Chloe mind cleaning up while we see how Ed and Al are?" Izumi asked, standing.

Before Cara could protest, Chloe elbowed her in the ribs "Of course we don't mind Ms. Izumi."

When the others were gone Cara glared at Chloe "Aren't you getting vocal on my behalf."

"Come on Cara, she's nice to let us stay here. It's the least we can do." Chloe cleared the plates to the sink. "Come one, you start washing these while I clean off the table."

"Uh… right…" Cara held up one of the dirty plates, staring at it quizzically for a moment before sticking it in the sink and running hot water over it. Most of the food came off but some remained stuck. Glaring she turned up the water pressure, but the stains still refused to wash off.

Chloe sighed "You've never washed dishes before have you?"

"…Maybe."

Chloe shook her head and held up a sponge "Use this to get off the extra stuff then stack the plates over there. I'll dry them."

"I knew that," Cara swiped the sponge from the younger girl's hand. "I was just testing you."

Chloe smiled "Right."

Cara attacked the rest of the plates with the sponge, speeding through the cleaning. Chloe was drying the plates and stowing them away.

"You're a lot more cheerful now." Chloe speculated.

"What do you mean by that?" Cara asked.

"You're less tense and quiet, like you were after lab five." Chloe continued, drying another plate with the dish towel. "You're more relaxed."

"I wasn't aware I was acting off." Cara muttered.

"Liar."

"What's new?"

Chloe sighed and rolled her eyes. "You're impossible."

"I just…" Cara trailed off for a second, choosing her words carefully. "I just am glad to be out of the big city, that's all."

"You weren't having any trouble before lab five." Chloe pressed. "It's because of that homunculus isn't it? Envy… Ed said he had the tattoo that looks like-"

Cara slammed her fist against the counter "Drop it kid."

"But-" Chloe tried.

"I don't know what the Hell that tattoo means. I don't care either. I said drop it." Cara set down the last plate, none to gently. "I'm done washing the plates. I'm going for a walk."

Chloe sighed as the door slammed "Cara… why can't you just open up? You can't keep yourself locked up forever." She rubbed a hand through her hair absentmindedly. "Every time I feel like we're close she pulls back again. What is she so afraid of?"

* * *

"She should mind her own business" Cara muttered to herself. "She should stop trying to dig so deep. Stupid little shrimp." She stopped and leaned against a wall, rubbing a hand through her red bangs. "Why haven't I ditched her yet? I told her that I could move on at any moment. Not that it matters. It isn't like I really care if she tags along."

"Hey! Cara!"

The red head turned to see the two brothers walking down the hill, their teacher in front of them.

"What are you doing out?" Ed asked. "It's getting dark."

"Oh, nothing" Cara straightened. "I was just on a walk."

"Did you clean the kitchen?" Izumi asked, raising an eyebrow.

Cara nodded "Yeah, we did."

"Good. Everyone has to do their fair share of work" Izumi smirked slightly. "Tomorrow the boys are going somewhere for an old training lesson, isn't that right you two?"

Ed and Al sighed and stared at the ground "Yes ma'am."

"Back to the house" Izumi pointed. "I'd like to talk to Cara for a moment."

"Uh sure" Ed raised his hand in farewell. "See you."

"Bye." Al trotted after his brother.

"I was told earlier by them that you used to be a thief, is that right?" Izumi asked.

"Yeah" Cara shrugged indifferently. "What about it?"

"Well, the brothers mentioned your head didn't seem clear lately. They're a little worried." Izumi had a knowing smirk on her face.

"What are you getting at?" Cara asked suspiciously.

"I have a favor to ask of you Cara."

* * *

"Remember, no alchemy, one month." Izumi reminded the boys, stepping back into the boat. "The same as before."

"Right, teacher what is the point of this again?" Ed asked.

Izumi smiled a deadly smile "Are you questioning me Edward?"

"Ah… no ma'am!" Ed shook his head. "Not at all."

"Good." Izumi waved. "Bye, now!"

"Good luck" Cara sang, smirking broadly as they paddled away.

"We've done this before you idiot! We'll be fine!" Ed yelled back.

"Right." Cara smirked.

"Wait, you're just going to leave them there on an uninhabited island?" Winry demanded.

"Seems a little extreme." Chloe agreed.

"Relax." Izumi smiled.

"Just what do you want them to do?" Winry squeaked.

"Nothing" Izumi smiled. "I don't want them to do anything. It's ok to do nothing sometimes."

"Right" Sig nodded.

"I don't understand you people at all!" Winry snapped.

"Hey Honey, row at far enough so that they won't be able to see us before you go around the island. We'll drop Cara off there." Izumi instructed Sig.

"Huh?" Chloe and Winry both whirled to stare at Izumi.

Cara smiled and rested her chin in her hand "I'm doing Izumi a favor."

_"I want you to go to the island too. It'll help clear your head being out there for one month. Also I want you to keep the boys on their toes." _

_"How so?" Cara raised an eyebrow._

_"If you're an expert thief, I want you to steal from them. It doesn't matter what: food, weapons, anything that will ensure their stay not be completely easy." Izumi smirked. "They have to fight to get what they want after all. Don't let them see you either. Can you do that for me?"_

_Cara smirked "If it involves messing with those two, you've got it."_

"You're going to make things even harder for them?" Winry stared as Cara jumped off the boat and onto the beach.

"You've got to earn your place if you want to survive?" Cara winked. "You guys have fun!"

"Will you be ok Cara?" Chloe asked.

"Come on kid, who do you think you're talking to?" Cara grinned. "Have a little faith in me!"

"I would give you a knife" Izumi smiled. "But you probably thought of that didn't you?"

"I never forget knives" Cara parted her jacket to reveal two knives hanging in her belt.

"Alright. Good luck" Izumi waved her hand. "One is all and all is one. I want to see if you're smart enough to figure that out."

"Great, riddles" Cara waved. "I'll do my best."

"Good luck Cara" Chloe called as they rowed away.

Cara waved once before turning back to look at the forest behind her. "Well… this will be fun."

* * *

_**Ooh, what shall happen?**_

**_Envy: Only the authoress knows._**

**_Cara: She knows everything._**

**_Ed: She is also humble._**

**_Chloe: And is holding us at gun point and forcing us to read this script._**

**_Al: Help._**

**_Wrath: WHEE! I'm cute!_**

**_All: (stare)...uh..._**

**_Wrath: REVIEW!_**


	21. Chapter 20: Innocent Child

**_Sorry it's a bit late, but here's the chapter! School has started now you see so I have to do work... ugh._**

**_Envy: Oh woe is you._**

**_My thoughts exactly._**

**_Liz: I think he was being sarcastic._**

**_Ed: She doesn't care._**

**_That I don't._**

**_Al: REVIEW!_**

* * *

** "Innocence plays in the backyard of ignorance"- Unknown**

Cara didn't know the island well but luckily it wasn't very large. Another lucky thing was it was completely over grown with trees and underbrush. It was an easy place to hide even if it was small and Cara had a gift with climbing things. She considered herself a master of stealth as well. After all she was a thief.

It didn't take long to find Ed and Al. Ed was a loud one after all, so they were easy to track down even without Cara's personal, walking, talking tracking device. The sun was begging to set and Cara guessed Ed and Al would be finding dinner soon. She could hunt for her own stuff of course but the goal _was _to make things a little bit more difficult for the boys. And she was all too happy to comply with that.

Al and Ed were sitting by the fire when she arrived at it. All that was there was four fat fish roasting in the flames. They were cooked well enough by now. Cara was quick, leaping from her perch in a tree and landing noiselessly before grabbing the fish and scurrying back up into the safety of its branches.

Just in time too. A moment later Al arrived out of the woods. He gasped, staring at the empty fire before sighing and placing his hands on his hips like a parent who had just discovered the scene of a child's crime. "Brother… you ate it all before dinner started!" and he stormed off into the woods in search of Edward.

Cara grinned at her handiwork. She had kind of missed being a thief. Satisfied, she retreated to the other side of the island, using the cover and height of the trees to keep herself hidden. Once far away from Ed and Al's campsite she settled down in a small clearing in the underbrush with her catch. Satisfied she began to gorge on her meal. The fish weren't too bad. They certainly had a lot of meat on them so they could definitely hold her over.

She had eaten the first two fish when she heard the first rustle in the bushes. It wasn't Ed or Al. She would hear the metal clinking if it was them, but it sounded too big to be an animal. She turned her head slightly to the side, using her peripheral vision as she took a bite into the third fish. She definitely saw something moving in the brush… something with _clothes_.

Cara placed the fourth fish on a rock near the bushes and rose from the ground, walking out of the clearing before she scurried up a tree. She observed the vacant piece of meat from her perch in the branches above, waiting. There was a long pause before the rustle came again and she saw a small, pale hand reaching slowly from the bushes and towards the untouched fish.

Cara dropped from her perch in a flash and grabbed the thief's wrist, flipping the mystery figure out of the bushes and over her shoulder. A second later she found herself staring down at a young boy with wide blue eyes and raggedy brown scraps for cloths. She blinked. What was a kid doing here?

"Woah!" the kid blinked his wide eyes up at her, smiling brightly. "Where did you come from? You got here quick!"

"I'm just good like that" Cara narrowed her eyes. "Talk, why were you spying on me?"

"Spying?" the kid shook his head, rolling over onto his stomach and pushing himself into a kneeling position. "No I wasn't spying. I just…" he looked over Cara's shoulder at the fish lying still on the rock, still warm from cooking. "It looked yummy… and I'm hungry." His stomach growled as if to prove this point.

Cara studied him for a moment before she took the last fish and handed it to him. He wolfed the food down in great greedy gulps, finishing it in seconds. He ate like he had gone without food for several days.

"What, are you doing out here kid?" Cara asked when the child had managed to swallow all of his food.

"I…" his face twisted slightly, his brow furrowing. "I don't… remember."

"You don't remember?" Cara cocked her head to the side. "How can you not remember?"

"I can't remember anything" he mumbled. "I just woke up on this island. I-I don't know how I got here… I don't remember." His voice was starting to rise in panic and Cara quickly shushed him.

"Ok, ok, that's ok. Don't worry about it. Forget I asked." She said, awkwardly patting the boy on the head. "I'll just call you kid. My name is Cara."

The kid smiled "Hi!" He was rocking back and forth in his sitting position, much like an easily distracted child. He couldn't have been much older than eleven and his ebony hair hung wild, all the way to his back. He kept on rocking, further each time until he lost his balance and fell onto his back.

"Woah!"

Cara sighed and rubbed a hand over her forehead "Geez kid, you couldn't survive a day on your own." That's when her eyes fell on his feet. Not his left foot but his right. There on the bottom was a small, familiar, blood red tattoo that depicted a serpent eating its tail, surrounding a star.

"You're… a homunculus" she whispered.

"A what?" the boy cocked his head to the side staring at Cara with big blue eyes, wide, innocent, unknowing. "What's a humclis?" His mispronunciation of the word might've been cute if Cara wasn't so shocked.

"Do you know what this tattoo is?" Cara asked, tapping his foot with her finger. I giggled slightly, ticklish and withdrew his foot before looking down at it.

"Hmm… uh uh, I don't know what it is."

He didn't know; he wasn't one of them. Was he?

"Does the name Envy mean anything to you?" Cara pressed, just to make sure.

"Envy?" the boy cocked his head to the side before shaking it, his hair whipping around his face as he did. "No… no Envy… I don't remember anyone. I only know you right here and those other boys that I saw on the island!"

"Yeah, right" Cara forced her face back into a comfortable state, a smirk drawing over her face again. It was a forced smirk. It wasn't natural. This kid didn't know and he was just too innocent to really be one of them. Only the sinful were part of their group. People like Envy, Lust and Gluttony. Not little boys. Not the innocent. "Want to play a game kid?"

He nodded, a smile breaking over his face "Yeah, yeah! That sounds fun!"

"We're going to hide from those two other boys and not let them find us while we're on this island." Cara explained.

"Why hide?" he asked curiously. "Did they do something bad to you?"

"No nothing like that" Cara laughed and shook her head. "It's just a game. It's a favor I'm doing for someone else. The rules are you have to do exactly what I tell you. Then we'll win. Do you want to do that?"

She was coaxing the child to play a game, like someone leading a dog with treats. Because that tattoo could get him in trouble. He couldn't show it to anyone. Her voice sounded so false. She never talked to people like this. Her youngest friend was Chloe who was more than intelligent enough to talk like a normal person. Cara wasn't used to talking to children.

"Yes, I like that! Let's play!" he bobbed his head up in down, giggling, rocking back and forth all over again.

"One other rule" Cara added. "That tattoo on your foot, don't show it to anyone. Even off the island. Keep it hidden?"

"Why?" there was the childlike curiosity again, the innocence. It was so strange to Cara.

"It means bad things to some people. You don't want to get in trouble with anybody." Cara sighed.

"Ok, I won't!" the kid beamed. "I'll be good."

Cara smiled and patted the kid on the head, like a dog almost. A question tugged at her brain. What would happen to him if the other homunculi found out about that mark on his foot.

What happened then?

* * *

The kid was obedient and an eager learner. Cara was only teaching him simple things like how to sneak around and climb trees. She felt like she was teaching a dog tricks. Even though the kid looked around eleven he seemed to act more like a six year old. His intelligence seemed to degrade with his memory loss. He didn't seem to remember most practical things.

He was a distracted kid, easily fascinated by many things, gasping and giggling, observing with wide eyes. He never questioned what Cara asked him to do. She wondered, if someone else had gotten a hold of him first, if he would sway to their will too. Children were the most pure innocent things. Give them a gun and tell them it's right to shoot and they wouldn't question it. Cara was glad she had found him before the other homunculi did.

It was a week into their "game" when she saw the kid's alchemy. They were at their old clearing when there was a sudden, loud rustling approaching them. A wolf had burst through the brush, angry and growling, it's fur bristling. It looked like it was about to lunge right at Cara.

Cara could've taken the creature, easily. But the kid seemed to have other ideas. He grabbed a rock and smashed it against his hand. There was a bright blue glow and Cara watched in amazement as the stone melded to the kid's hand, a stone blade on his arm, created from alchemy. He had lunged forward and stabbed the wolf through the gut before it could pounce.

The kid turned to look at her with the same wide blue eyes "Are you ok?"

Cara blinked, silent for a moment before asking slowly "What… did you just do?"

"Huh?" the child glanced at his hand. There was another flash of blue light and a moment later the rock fell to the ground, just as it had been before. His hand was once again flesh "I don't know."

"I don't get it" Cara muttered. "Homunculi shouldn't be able to do alchemy?"

"Alchemy? What's that?" the boy asked, rocking back and forth on his heels.

Cara stared. He didn't even know what he was doing? Wasn't alchemy a science?

"Nothing" she muttered. "Let's go bother those boys some more."

"Ok!"

* * *

Cara busied herself in the next weeks causing Hell for Ed and Al. It was obvious their frustration with the situation.

"I'm not letting this fish leave my sight." Ed growled, glaring at the cooking fish. "No way. No thief will be able to steal these fish."

Cara motioned to the kid from her tree, giving him a thumbs up. He grinned and nodded, hefting a rock and chucking it down into a patch of underbrush. The rustle was loud and Ed jerked his head towards the sound, leaping to his feet, a determined look on his face.

"I hear you! You aren't getting any food today!"

Meanwhile Cara had lowered a makeshift bag made out of leaves from the tree and scooped the fish up from the fire. She pulled the bag quickly up with her and snuffed any fire out with her jacket before it could spread.

Ed turned back around, blinking and staring at the suddenly empty fire before-

"DAMN IT! WHY DOES THIS KEEP HAPPENING? HOW DOES THIS GUY MANAGE TO STAY SO QUIET?"

Cara forced down a snigger and motioned for the boy to retreat with her.

* * *

Later in the clearing, dining upon their latest catch Cara lay on her back and stared up at the stars that dotted the night sky. Tomorrow Izumi would return to the island. She had managed to make things interesting for the Elric brothers but she still hadn't figured out that little riddle.

_'One is All and All is One'_

"Hey kid, what does 'One is all, all is one' mean to you?" Cara asked, hoping the kid would have a rush of metaphysical enlightenment.

"One is all, all is one" the kid repeated slowly, cocking his head to the side. "Like something small being a part of something big?"

Great, he was a help.

"Never mind" Cara shrugged and let her gaze drop from the sky and to the ground next to her. There was a trail of ants marching, carrying a giant furry caterpillar on their backs. "Hmm… something small, a part of something big… that caterpillar will be eaten, to fuel the colony… bigger insects eat them, lizards eat the bigger insects then come foxes… And wolves eat deer which eat grass… Ultimately humans eat a lot of that stuff too… The food chain."

_'One is all, all is one.'_

"One thing" Cara said speaking out loud now. "Like you and me kid, we're just one small part of everything. There are a lot of people out there living their lives out there who have no idea who we are or what we're doing. We're small compared to the world. We barely matter" a smirk curled over her face. "_But _on the other hand, if everything thought they didn't matter and just gave up and died there would be nothing left. The world needs its people, its animals, and its processes. It needs everything to keep a balance. So while we fade away into the crowd, we still keep the world going. Everything seems to work together in its own design."

"That's confusing" the boy sighed mournfully.

"I know, I hardly understand it myself" Cara grinned. "We are part of the world but the world is made up by us. The world is all, we are the one."

_'HA! Take that Izumi!'_

* * *

"So… did you remember?" Izumi asked, her eyes narrowed on Ed and his brother as the knelt on the sand. She was still as intimidating as ever. But Ed had long stopped being terrified of her even if her mood swings were hard to predict.

"Yes" Ed nodded.

"We know we went against the laws of equivalent exchange when we tried to bring our mom back to life." Al said. "What you see now is our price for that. But we're still determined to keep going, and get our bodies back! We know it will go against to laws of equivalent exchange but…"

"But we have to try damn it" Ed finished for Al. "We can't just give up."

"Then you're determined to move forward?"

"Yes ma'am."

Izumi's mouth quirked "So how was your second stay boys?"

Ed groaned "Someone was stealing our food and all the traps we made kept on being disabled! We thought about it being the brute in the mask but he wouldn't be so quiet!"

"Especially since I was the brute in the mask the whole time" Mason grinned, raising his hand.

"That was you?" Ed exclaimed, glaring and pointing at Mason.

"Relax, Izumi just sent me to toughen you up a bit."

"You nearly killed us!"

"Quiet!" Izumi snapped. "So you're saying you never caught this thief?"

Ed sighed "No…"

To his surprise Izumi grinned and looked back towards the forest "Well then, you didn't disappoint Cara."

Ed whirled around to see a familiar red head drop out of a tree and land in a crouch on the ground a wide smirk on her face. "Sup pipsqueak?"

"YOU!" Ed was absolutely livid. "YOU WERE THE ONE STEALING FROM US!"

"Of course" Cara crossed her arms. "I am a professional."

"I sent her here to clear her head" Izumi smirked from behind the boys. "You were worried about her after all and I didn't want your stay here to be _too _easy."

"But-" Edward whirled to glare at the red head. "Ok! Pay back!" he charged the girl, wanting to sock her real good for playing them all this time. She crouched, smirking in anticipation when another blur fell out of the tree. It was a boy with wild black hair and narrowed blue eyes. He had a rock in his left fist. Upon landing he smashed the rock against his hand and in a flash of blue light the rock melted right on, a stone blade.

"Leave her alone!"

Cara stared at the boy her eyes wide "Hey kid, calm down. We fight all the time."

The boy looked back at her questioningly "Really?"

"Yeah, don't worry about it" Cara sighed.

The boy nodded and the rock melted off his fist in another flash of blue light, falling to the ground, just the same as before.

"Who… what… that kid just turned his fist into a stone knife." Ed blinked.

Cara smirked "Well… in other news… this is 'kid'. He can't remember anything, not even his name so that's what I've been calling him."

"An alchemist." Ed's eyes narrowed. What if he'd been sent by the military or someone else to spy on them? "Where did you come from kid?"

"I don't remember" the boy took a step back.

"What if I thought you were lying?"

"B-but I'm not!"

"Well-"

"Hey, pipsqueak, cool it" Cara snapped. "The kid doesn't remember anything. He's a freakin ten year old and as we all know, you are both the youngest and shortest person in the military so this kid couldn't be from them."

"I'm not short!" Ed yelled.

"Yes you are now get over it!"

"You're shorter than me!"

"By what a half inch? And I'm a _girl_!"

"So what?"

"Stop Bitching about things that don't matter and think about someone other than yourself!" Izumi snapped, stalking past the arguing teens and to the boy. In a sudden, dramatic mood swing she smiled and knelt down in front of him "Hello little one. So you're sure you don't remember anything?"

"Uh uh." The kid shook his head. "Nothing."

"We'll just have to help with that." Izumi assured him… right before blood spilled from her mouth and she began to cough violently.

"Teacher!" Ed and Al ran to Izumi's side. "Not again."

Cara looked down at Izumi, her eyes wide "This… happens a lot?"

"Yeah…" Al murmured.

"What happened?" the kid cried, staring down at the woman, unsure what to do.

"She's… just having an attack" Ed said, refusing to look at the boy.

"Attack…" Cara murmured. "So she has attacks too..."

* * *

"Gluttony and I will go after Greed" Lust told Envy when they had arrived in Dublith. "We'll take care of him. You'll watch the Elric brothers and their friend's right?"

"Yeah, sure." Envy shrugged, nonchalantly, not completely interested.

"Do you plan… on finding out if your theory is correct?" Lust lowered her voice.

"Of course I do" Envy smirked. "Don't worry, I'll be careful."

"Do that. Don't mess up or plans because of some curiosity" Lust warned.

Envy scowled "Don't start talking down to me Lust. I know what I have to do."

"Apologies" Lust sighed. "Good luck."

"Yeah, you too."

* * *

_**Since someone asked me what I thought the opening and closing theme for this would be I decided to answer:**_

**_The Opening would be Hologram from FMA Brotherhood_**

**_And the closing would be Let it out, also from FMAB_**

**_But just for the first arc. It would change afterwards._**

**_Envy: And the authoress has so little life that she has these songs memorized in Japanese._**

**_SHUTUP!_**

**_Liz: Sigh... review._**


	22. Chapter 21: Monster

**__****Ok so this is the next chapter, and its longer than usual. This is probably because I had alot of free time over the weekend but you probably aren't complaining about swift and long updates are you?**

**_Cara: Don't worry, there's still a cliffhanger to torture you at the end._**

**_Chloe: At this point we give you fair warning..._**

**_Ed: So that you don't beat yourself to death with a spork_**

**_Envy: Though that would be entertaining._**

**_Al: REVIEW!_**

_"I feel it deep within, it's just beneath the skin_

_I must confess that I feel like a monster." –Skillet (Monster)_

It was obvious the upset the kid was causing in the house. Ed didn't trust him at all because he could do alchemy, Izumi seemed to uncharacteristically like the boy, Winry and Chloe both seemed to think he was adorable, and Al, Sig and Mason seemed completely indifferent to the whole situation.

So where did Cara stand on it?

The tattoo made her a little uneasy but she still couldn't let Ed be so rough on the boy. It almost felt like a responsibility to her. She found him after all. The kid was as innocent and dumb as a brick, due to the memory loss, so how could she let anyone just beat up on him? He was just a kid, and Ed was overreacting.

How much more would he over react if he saw the tattoo?

It was late one night that Cara couldn't sleep so she decided to pay the kid a visit. He never seemed to sleep anyway, like a child who had way to much sugar. Izumi had locked the door to keep Ed and Al out of the room so she was forced to be a bit more agile, finding her way through the window.

"Hi Cara!" the kid beamed when she swung through the window… she found it odd that he wasn't at all surprised by this. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh I couldn't sleep, I thought I'd drop by. Everyone else is still sleeping."

"I thought they were dead" the kid cocked his head to the side.

"Uh…" Cara blinked. "No… they're just asleep. Don't you ever sleep kid?"

Wrath shook his head "Not really. It's too hard. I'm too excited. How do you sleep?"

"Well I generally have a hard time falling asleep but I do need it, to keep my energy up." Cara shrugged.

"Why does the blonde boy hate me?" the kid asked innocently. "Did I do something wrong?"

"He's just paranoid" Cara muttered. "Don't worry about him. He couldn't kill a fly, even if he wanted to."

The kid giggled before looking up at the ceiling where a hole was suddenly forming, by way of alchemy. A moment later, Ed and Al were in the room.

"But apparently they can break an entry just fine" Cara growled, standing. "What the Hell guys? Why are you here?"

"We could ask the same question about you." Ed crossed his arms.

"Izumi wasn't worried about me hurting the boy" Cara retorted. "So I climbed through the window."

"…How?" Al asked, looking down at the nearly impassible straight drop, twenty feet down.

"Trade secret" Cara winked. "Anyway, what's up with your unexpected visit?"

"That boy's alchemy isn't normal" Ed pointed at the kid accusingly. "He's melding objects with his body."

"And you're refusing to believe that it's just a new technique?" Cara snapped.

"Yes!" Ed exclaimed. "That's human transmutation! You can't just go around doing that whenever you want, but he doesn't have any consequences."

"Which means he wouldn't be a part of the military because human transmutation is illegal" Cara retorted.

"Well what's your explanation?"

"I don't know a first thing about alchemy Edward! Don't ask me!"

"Stop fighting!" the kid tried to push Ed but Edward knocked him back onto the bed.

"Don't start with me kid!" He clapped his hands and transmuted rope to bind the kid to the bed by his ankles.

The kid stared at the rope for a second before grinning like he had just found a new toy "Look, look!"

"You can do that to, can't you?" Ed growled, his eyes narrowed.

The boy shook his head.

"Don't play dumb! I saw you in the woods!"

"Brother, I think you're scaring him" Al warned.

At this point the kid was tugging at the ropes "Untie it! Untie it!"

"Ed, get rid of the rope" Cara growled.

Ed didn't let up "Just use alchemy to fix it."

"Brother," Al murmured. "Look I really don't think this boy has anything to do with the others."

Cara froze _'The others? Don't tell me he already suspects that.'_

"He can do alchemy without a circle. Only me and teacher should be able to do that" Ed shook his head.

There was a sudden flash as the beg began to rise, twisting unnaturally like it was made of nothing more than rubber until it formed And I've seen his face somewhere a mountain of deformed sheets and wood, meeting with the kid at his waist where he was now screaming and crying. Wherever his legs had gone off to, Cara couldn't see them.

"What… what did you do Ed?" Cara snapped.

"I couldn't transmute a body and a bed if I wanted to!" Ed protested, backing up.

Suddenly the door slammed open and the two boys were kicked to the opposite side of the room "HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO SLEEP WITH ALL OF THIS NOISE?" She glared before she turned to the left and gasped to see the boy attached to the mountain of bed material, crying and screaming with fear.

_'Because if she wasn't surprised to see that, I would question her sanity' _Cara thought.

"We promise we didn't do anything teacher, it wasn't us!" Ed said quickly.

"Yeah, they just broke an entry and were harassing him" Cara agreed. "They didn't attach him to the bed."

"Thanks Strawberry patch."

"Welcome, pipsqueak."

"Stop crying!" Izumi ordered firmly and the kid stopped instantly, staring down at her in shock. She smiled. "It's ok. All you have to do is remember your original form. Can you do that?" she reached up and took his hand gently. "Just remember what you were. It's alright. You can take your time."

A moment later there was a flash and the twisted mountain melted back into a normal bed. The boy landed on his feet before hugging Izumi tightly, his body trembling. The woman hugged him back gently before grabbing the green blanket off of the bed and wrapping it around his shoulders.

She whirled around "NOW WHAT WERE YOU DOING FRIGHTENING THIS POOR BOY!"

Ed and Al both jumped and bowed their heads "We're sorry teacher!"

Edward however decided to put his little theory through to Izumi "I'm sorry to say but I don't think this boy is human. We think he might be one of the creatures who are following us."

Cara felt her fists clench by her side. How could Ed jump to a conclusion like that so quickly? He hadn't even seen the tattoo.

"Just who or what is following you?" Sig asked.

"Homunculi" Cara heard herself answer, glaring straight ahead into the nothingness. "Ed thinks that kid is a homunculus. But that kid is innocent… he doesn't have a sin. Not like all of the others."

"You've been thinking it to, haven't you?" Ed asked, narrowing his eyes.

Cara glanced at him with cold gold eyes before walking right out of the door. She said nothing. She owed no explanation. At least not one that she was willing to give.

* * *

Cara wanted to pretend she wasn't interested in what Izumi thought on the matter about the kid being a homunculus but she couldn't. When she asked to speak to the Elric brother's privately, she felt compelled to listen in. She sat under the window right outside the room in silence, listening to them talk.

"So why don't these homunculi just create their own philosophers stone" Izumi questioned.

"They say that they can't do alchemy." Ed admitted.

"So then this child is different than the others." Izumi reasoned. Cara felt her head subconsciously nod. Yes, he had to be different.

"That's true," Ed conceded, grudgingly. "But I've never seen an alchemist transmute their own body to an object. Involuntary systems get in the way and no human should be able to do it. You know that."

"And he transmutes without a circle, just like you and brother" Al pointed out. "So that must mean-"

"Al, leave it" Ed muttered.

Izumi sighed "You lost your memory when it happened, right Al? But you remember it don't you Ed?"

"Yes… the gateway of Truth."

_'Gateway… of Truth?" _Cara's eyes widened. What was the gateway of truth?

"It was like all of the information in the world was being poured into my head" Ed murmured, like he was recalling some unpleasant memory. "I suddenly knew things about alchemy that I had never known before. And I knew then that I was so close, just a few steps away, from complete human transmutation." There was silence before Ed sighed. "It was the Truth on the other side of that portal. That's how I learned to transmute without a circle and how I learned to bond Al's soul to the suit of armor. I learned it all in there."

"The truth?" Izumi asked skeptically.

"Yes, what else could it be?"

"I don't know, a short cut? The secret to magic trick?"

There was a sound, like someone jumping to their feet. "I just remembered teacher! I saw that boy somewhere in the gate! That proves that he isn't human."

There was a pause before Izumi murmured "There's no way to be sure. We'll worry about it later."

"But teacher-"

"Go to your room, both of you. Don't lay a hand on the boy until I get back, understand?"

There was the sound of shuffling and the door closed.

"They still don't know do they?" the deep voice of Sig asked. "You didn't tell them how a homunculus is born."

Cara's eyes widened. How a homunculus was born? Izumi knew where they came from and how they were created?"

"I'm sorry but I'm going alone" the thief heard her say. "I just need to be sure."

Cara stared down at the ground, feeling a crushing weight on her chest. So the boy really might be a homunculus? So _everyone _with that tattoo was a homunculus?

"Cara" the red head jerked her head up to see Izumi looming over her, a slightly dangerous smirk on her face. "You were listening in?"

Cara met her eyes evenly "Yes."

"That's fine with me" Izumi turned. "By the way, did you figure out what 'One is All, All is One' meant? I never asked you."

"The world is the all, I am the one" Cara murmured, absently. "You… you know how homunculi are created?"

Izumi studied her for a long time before sighing "It isn't something you should let trouble you. You are not the one who committed the sin.

_The sin._

The use of that word was so ironic in Cara's mind.

"I'll be back soon… take care of the boy."

There it went again. _Take care. _Why did everyone want her to care so much?

Why should she?

* * *

Cara sat with Chloe in the bathroom while Winry dried off the kid and dressed him. Ed and Al were being kept locked in their room, a floor above and guarded by Mason. Suddenly there was a flash of light and a telephone receiver was dangling from the ceiling in the place of the light. The boy instinctively cowered behind Winry.

"Hey, Winry" it was Al's voice. "I know I shouldn't be doing this but… since we can't come out of out room."

"Hey Al" Winry sighed. "Hey, what did you do to this kid anyway? He's scared to death."

"Sorry uh… could you check something for me? It's about the boy's body" Al murmured.

"You mean the scars?" Winry questioned. "Yeah, I was surprised too. They go all the way around his right arm and left leg."

Cara felt her blood run cold. Right arm… left leg… Shit. She jumped to her feet and grabbed the boy's wrist, pulling him behind her just before a portion of the ceiling melted away and Ed and Al dropped through. Sig tried to come into the room to see what was wrong but Ed blocked off the entrance.

"Guys if Izumi finds out about this, she'll kill you." Mason warned from above.

"This won't take long" Al said firmly.

Ed took a step towards the boy but Cara whipped a knife from her belt and held it in front of her "I'd appreciate you backing off Edward."

"Cara!" Chloe jumped to her feet. "Wait, Ed, stop!"

"This won't take long" Ed narrowed his eyes.

"I don't care how long it takes, you aren't getting anywhere near this boy." Cara pointed the knife at him. "Don't make me hurt you."

Ed backed down a bit under the fierce gold eyes of the red head "Fine, look yourself then. Look at his right arm."

Cara nodded once and turned around to face the kid "I'm not going to hurt you kid." She pulled aside his right sleeve. Sure enough, the arm was a completely different shade of skin from the rest of his body and looked just a little too long. On his shoulder was a bright red scar, like something had taken a bite out of him a long time ago.

"Do you know what that scar is from?" Ed growled from behind Cara. "It's the scar from a fox bite. A fox took a bite out of my arm right there… That's my arm!" he lunged for the kid but Cara knocked him back with her arm with a force that sent him to the ground. She pushed the kid towards the window.

"Run kid!"

The kid transmuted away the window and scrambled out. Cara jumped through and ran after him down the street. She heard Ed behind them and quickened her pace. The kid slid to a stop by a section of stone wall.

"Keep running! What are you doing?" she demanded.

"Short cut" the kid muttered, grabbing her arm and pressing his hand to the wall. He melted straight through, taking her with him. She blinked when they were on the other side "That was… bizarre…"

"Hurry!" the kid grabbed her wrist and they continued to run.

* * *

Several minutes later, Cara was sitting by the kid on the roof of a building. They had lost Ed with the little wall trick it seemed.

"What did I do wrong?" the child murmured. "Why does he hate me so much?"

"It's… hard to explain kid" Cara muttered. "It's not your fault though. You didn't do anything."

The boy managed a smile.

"…Cara?" the red head whirled at Edward's voice, her hand already flying to the hilt of her knife as the boy cowered behind her.

"Listen," Ed continued, not quite showing his face. "I'm sorry I freaked out back there. We're not going to hurt the kid. Can we come up without you trying to knife us?"

Cara's eyes narrowed and a slight smirk drew over her face "No promises."

Ed and Al crept onto the roof and sat down next to Cara who kept herself strategically placed between them and the still suspicious boy.

"So, reached a verdict yet?" Cara asked in a low voice, glancing at the kid who seemed content to swing his legs around and hum absentmindedly while they talked.

"Well I… I don't think it's just a coincidence" Ed murmured.

"And would you rip your limbs from his body and slap them on your own?" Cara asked coldly.

Ed winced and stared at the ground "No, of course not."

"Good, I was almost worried there." Ed looked at the red head in surprise and she smirked and continued. "You may not exactly be the calm type Ed but despite all of your tantrums your morals haven't gotten damaged. You wouldn't sacrifice those prison convicts who had nothing to do with you for your bodies back" she glanced at the boy. "And you wouldn't damn this boy by taking away his limbs. He really doesn't remember where they came from. What could he have done?"

Ed half smiled "I guess."

There was a deafening crash as something smashed into the roof a little ways about them and they all flinched away.

"What the Hell?" Cara stood, almost losing her balanced on the precarious slope. But while she managed to keep her footing, the kid didn't and tumbled off the roofs ledge only to be intercepted a minute later by Major Armstrong who tied him up with his watch.

"Major, what are you doing?" Ed jumped down from the rood, followed by Al and Cara. "He's an innocent kid!"

"He may be the key to unlocking the secrets of lab five" a paler man beside Armstrong said, picking the boy up and throwing him over his shoulder.

"He doesn't even have his memory!" Cara snapped.

"Perhaps, but we have a clue to his identity." The pale man smirked, lifting the kid's right foot to reveal the tiny, red, oroborus tattoo. "Give me a few good hours with him and I guarantee he'll lead us to the others."

Cara made a growling noise "Just because he's the same species doesn't mean they travel in packs! He isn't tied to the others!"

"You knew what he was?" Ed whispered.

Cara stared at the ground "And you're surprised I didn't tell you?"

The pale man and Armstrong were already walking away. Cara looked perfectly vicious as she let out a snarl and tried to lunge at the men but Al held her back.

"Wait, Cara! Please, you can't just attack them!"

"They can't do this to someone like him! He's too… innocent." Cara hissed, struggling against Al's grip.

"He's a homunculus."

"No shit." Cara growled, stopping her struggling. "No. Freaking. Shit."

* * *

"What did you boys do to him" Izumi growled.

"We didn't do anything" Ed muttered.

"Why are you making such a big fuss over him anyway teacher?" Al asked, sounding suddenly so cold. "Maybe it's the best thing for him. They might be able to track down his memories. And besides: He's not human." Cara felt her jaw tighten as she fought to remain calm. Chloe seemed to notice how much effort this was taking.

"You may not believe they exist teacher. We didn't either. But we've seen more than our fair share of homunculi in the past few months. They're real and they're terrifying. They possess powers that no human could possibly have. A mouth that can chew through metal, fingers that can stretch and pierce anything. There's even a homunculi who can shape shift into any form. That child may have special abilities teacher" Al looked up. "But that's because he's a monster."

Izumi might've snapped if not for Cara doing so first. She knew that she would break eventually under all of this talk. She couldn't take any more of it.

"Shut. The Hell. UP!" she snapped, slamming the side of her fist so hard against Al's armor that he stumbled back a few steps. "Is that how you really feel Al? That all homunculi are monsters? That it's completely black and white. Forgive me for assuming but you seem to be stereotyping!"

"Why are you getting worked up over this kid Cara?" Al asked in surprise. "You never do this! You saw the other homunculi! You saw what they were!"

"Al, stop!" Chloe pleaded, fists clenched as she stepped in front of Cara. "Please stop. You don't get it. You really don't get it."

"Drop it kid" Cara hissed, sinking down to the floor, a hand over her face. Her body was shaking with the force of her anger… anger, and beneath that, shame. "And you should know that it isn't the kid that's getting me all worked up. Sure he's innocent, but this isn't just him."

Ed's eyes slowly widened, as something seemed to click in his head "Cara…" he walked over to where she sat, slowly, almost as if he was in a trance. He looked like he wanted to stay back but he kept walking forward till he was in front of the red head. He knelt down next to her and took the edge of the bandage that wrapped around her hand before beginning to undo it.

Cara did nothing to stop the alchemist as he took away the bandaging. When it was gone and lying on the floor in a heap Cara met his eyes, gold gazing into gold "The deeper you dig" she murmured. "The more likely you are to find something that you really don't want to find out." She opened her clenched fist and showed the room her palm.

There was a collective gasp as she did this, almost comical. The room seemed to go dead quiet as they stared at her mark, tattooed on the inside of her right hand, a faded red color, unlike the others, but still very much real. The mark of the oroborus tattoo. The mark of a monster.

"You're… a…" Al's voice shook with a mixture of so many emotions.

"That's right" Cara smirked bitterly. "I'm a homunculus."

_I'm one of those monsters._

_**There you are folks, the plot twist that I've been keeping for the whole series. Really if you hadn't figured it out by now you were skimming the story because I had more hints in there than choclate chips in a giant choclate chip cookie... in Willy Wonka's choclate factory.**_

**_Cara: Kitsunelover300 was the first to figure this out in chapter fifteen, Envy's first appearance._**

**_Chloe: Props. No one else reviewed about it till chapter seventeen, then everyone started clueing in at the Hughes death chapter._**

**_Envy: She has been choking you with hints, and started to do so right at chapter fifteen, increasing with each chapter._**

**_Ed: Then at this one she completely crammed it in to build up to the cliff hanger_**

**_Al: Though maybe it just seemed obvious to her because she had known this was going to happen since she started writing this book._**

**_It's true... REVIEW!_**


	23. Chapter 22: A Doomed Game

**_Ok, here's a nice intense chapter. Also the end of the first arc._**

**_Cara: Hooray, shit will happen._**

**_Chloe: That it will._**

**_Envy: I'm in this chapter!_**

**_Ed: REVIEW!_**

"…You knew?" Ed asked Chloe after several moments of silence had gone by. Right after her secret was revealed Cara had retrieved her fallen bandages and wrapped them around her hand again before walking out of the room.

'_I have to help the kid. Don't try and stop me.'_

"Yes" Chloe murmured, wrapping her arms around her knees. "I…I always knew about her tattoo. It wasn't till I heard you describing it in the hospital after lab five that I realized why Cara was being so quiet." She bit her lip. "I swear, she didn't know. She never knew until lab five. She would sometimes get annoyed with not knowing what it was. She thought she was human. She's lived as a human all her life."

"I feel awful" Al whispered. "All this time, when we've been suspicious about the kid, when we talked about homunculi being evil creatures… and we never knew what that was doing to her."

"I'm not surprised she didn't tell you guys with all your talk" Chloe muttered. "Because if you couldn't accept that the kid was innocent, how could you accept that she was? I mean, she does have a criminal record."

"But I don't get it… those attacks… she's dying and the homunculi aren't supposed to die." Ed growled, gripping his head between his hands.

"She's… what?" Al and Chloe's heads both jerked up. Ed had forgotten that Cara had told neither of them.

"That's… what she said" he murmured. "That her attacks were getting closer together… and that she was dying."

"But… she never told me…" It was clear to see that Chloe was shaking. "That she was dying… I-I never knew."

"It's not your fault" Al placed a metal hand on her shoulder. "Cara doesn't like to tell people stuff like that." He looked at his brother. "Now we know why she was so bothered after lab five…"

"And why she was glad to get out of the city" Ed nodded. "She's been afraid… the homunculi would find out about her." He stood. "She doesn't have ties to them. They threw her into the circle at lab five as a useless human. And she's afraid of running into them again. That proves she's not like them! She just can't be." He glanced between Al and Chloe. "Damn it… why did we just let her walk out without saying anything? All this time when she's been defending the kid, she's been defending herself. And I don't care what the Hell she is… I still owe her."

"We should follow her" Chloe stood as well. "I may not be able to track her as well… I never can, but we need to find her."

"Besides, Teacher went to Southern Headquarters to find the kid, too." Ed nodded. "We can't leave her."

* * *

Cara of course had misjudged what a maze Southern HQ was. That and the fact that she was finding it hard to keep her cool right now didn't help. But it didn't matter what the boys thought about what she was. If they didn't want her with them anymore she could run off with the kid, take care of him. After all it would be best if they could both evade the homunculi. And it just didn't seem like she could continue living as a normal human being. The barrier was broken, her secret was out. The idea of going on the run didn't really appeal to her but Envy and the others finding out what she was appealed to her even less.

The emergency alarms suddenly went off in the building and Cara felt the whole place shake like they were in the middle of a huge earthquake. Under the piercing sound of the blaring alarms she managed to find a panicking soldier, seize him by the collar and slam him against the wall.

"Hey you, what's going on?" she asked, fixing him with her piercing gaze.

"A-an alchemist woman is assaulting Headquarters!" the man stuttered. "She just busted someone out of an interrogation!"

"Izumi…" Cara muttered, tossing the man to the side. "Thanks, you were a help."

If no one else, Izumi would be on her side. She seemed far too perceptive not to have known this whole time what the kid was. Maybe Izumi could get the kid to safety. The kid did seem to like her after all, despite how moody and particularly deadly the woman could get sometimes.

She continued to run down the corridors, trying to scope out where they were by the intensity of the shaking ground. Another group of soldiers ran past her, barely paying her any mind in their panic.

"Now the Elric brothers are here! And two unidentified men." One yelled.

"I just heard that the Fuhrer is also here!" another soldier yelled.

"Well isn't this a party" Cara muttered under her breath, taking another turn. She was getting close, she knew. The shaking of the ground almost made it hard to keep her footing. Someone was having a huge alchemic battle or something.

She peered cautiously around a corner to see the boy, unharmed, hugging Izumi tightly just outside a storage room. Izumi glanced into the room, her eyes widening slightly before she picked him up and ran with him. Good, they were both ok. But something wasn't quite right. Hadn't the boy's eyes been closer to blue before? Not violet… and there were odd red lines on his body. What did those mean?

Curious to see what Izumi had seen in the storage room Cara opened the door. It was the corpse… of the Fuhrer? Who had killed him?

"Well, well, look who it is." Cara's eyes widened as the Fuhrer's mouth moved and his eyes snapped open. The voice coming out of the mouth was all too familiar. She stood rooted on the spot as the 'Fuhrer' stood and melted into the last person in the world she wanted to see. "It's the little thief. I didn't expect to see you running around here."

"Envy" Cara growled, taking a step back.

The homunculus smirked "Miss me?"

"Can't say I did." Cara forced a smirk onto her face. It was wavering and weak. Why of all people, did Envy have to be here? She found her back against the wall as Envy started to come towards her. It was a few seconds before she remembered that she had a weapon. Her knife slipped from her sleeve with practiced accuracy and she swung it up so the blade's edge was level with his neck.

"Back off."

Envy cast an amused glance at the blade in her hand "Yeah, because that worked so well the last time." His eyes slid to eye the bandage she had re secured her hand with and his smirk widened slightly. "What's under the bandage, Little Devil?"

Cara hissed and swung the knife at his neck, losing her cool. He couldn't… he just couldn't know what she was! She hadn't been that obvious. How could he suspect that? Her swing was off and ill timed. Envy snatched her wrist with lightning speed and twisted her arm behind her back, slamming her up against the wall.

"That was pathetic" he hissed in her ear from behind, pinning her body to the wall with his, his free hand pressing her head against the cool cement. "You seem a little off focus today don't you? Something on your mind?"

Cara growled and struggled, trying to twist her knife so that she could stab Envy but he merely squeezed her wrist tighter, so tight she felt it might dislocate with any more pressure. "Drop the knife Little Devil" he murmured from behind her, smirking.

Being weaponless was better than a hand that didn't work. Cara released her weapon and it fell to the ground with a clank. Envy chuckled, a sound that made the thief's blood boil "That's better." She could feel his breath against her neck as he spoke each word. "This is nice to know. You may be fast but you aren't very strong are you? Once you get caught like this…" he twisted her arm a little further for emphasis. "You're finished."

"Shut… up…" Cara whispered angrily, but her words had no emphasis to them. Not like they usually did. Besides he was right, strength wasn't her strong point. At this point he was just toying with her.

"You're shaking little devil" Envy murmured mockingly, seeming to get a sick satisfaction out of her fear. "Something wrong?"

Cara took in a deep breath trying to calm herself. For the longest time she hadn't feared anything else in the world besides her own approaching death. Now she feared being discovered. Especially by Envy.

"Does it have anything to do," Envy purred, fingering the edge of her bandage. "With this?"

"Let go of me…" Cara hissed, struggling against his grip.

Envy cackled and pressed her harder against the wall "And why would I do that?"

Cara felt a smirk slide over her face "Cause my psycho friend just showed up."

"LET HER GO!" there was a flash of alchemy as a stone fist broke from the floor and flew at Envy. His speed saved him from the hit as he managed to flip back and out of the way, landing safely in a crouch, out of reach of the alchemic projectile. But he at least let Cara go in the process.

The red head looked up to see Al and Ed behind the furious looking blonde girl.

"Envy" Ed growled. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh nothing…" the homunculus smirked, straightening. "You see, I just discovered another homunculus was here in Dublith. I suspect he'll be with that teacher of yours now."

Something dawned on Cara… the kid… his eyes hadn't looked quite right. "What did you do to the kid!" she snapped, standing. "What did you do?"

Envy's smirk widened "Reminded him exactly what he was."

"He's with Izumi?" Ed whispered before growling. "BASTARD!" he transmuted his arm into a blade and lunged at the homunculus who cart wheeled smoothly back and landed on the sill of the window.

"Make no mistake Elric, I would love to kill you" Envy said coldly. "But I can't afford to be tempted right now." His eyes flicked to Cara. "I'll be seeing you Little Devil." Then he disappeared out the window.

"Cara, are you alright?" Chloe was immediately at her friend's side.

Cara nodded slowly and leaned back against the wall "I… I'm fine…"

"Did he find out about…" Ed trailed off awkwardly, glancing at her bandaged hand.

"He didn't see but… God I think he knows." Cara whispered, rubbing a hand over her face, sliding down to sit on the floor. "He knows, I can tell. And he did something… he did something to the kid. He doesn't look right. His eyes… they aren't right" she shook her head. "Damn it… the kid didn't deserve this. He was innocent. If anyone, I deserved it. I'm the thief… I'm the one who _has _sins."

"Cara, this wasn't your fault." Ed muttered, kneeling down next to her.

Cara glanced up at him "…Do you not care? I'm one of those monsters you're so afraid of Edward."

"Just because someone get's bitten by one dog doesn't mean all dogs are evil" Ed murmured. "Cara… We're sorry, Al and I, about what we said about homunculi and everything. Envy's evil, so are Lust and Gluttony. But you… even though you have questionable morals, you aren't like them."

"We aren't going to kick you out just because of this" Al nodded. "And you didn't know what you were. You've been living as a human all this time right? There's no reason you can't keep doing that."

Cara managed to nod before wrapping her arms around her legs, like a child who was afraid of a monster under their bed. She felt so weak right now. "I'm… afraid…" she whispered. The words felt odd on her tongue. She hadn't been scared of anything in so long. Just her own death. And there was no way to cower away from that. "I'm actually afraid…"

"Being afraid isn't a sin." Ed sighed, standing and holding out a hand. "Now come on. You haven't changed; you're still the same obnoxious thief."

"You're too trusting pipsqueak" Cara muttered, taking his hand and letting him pull her up.

"This is what I mean by obnoxious Strawberry Patch."

"Bite me."

"So… are they friends now?" Al whispered.

"We're getting there" Chloe smiled. "Not quite. We'll keep working on it."

* * *

Another pressing issue was at hand now, and that was the safety of Izumi. There was something not right about the kid and they couldn't leave them alone without knowing what had happened. They finally deduced that they were on Yok Island, and the four of them, joined by Winry, went to find them there.

"Let's split up" Cara suggested. "We'll cover more ground. I'll go with the shrimp here" she patted Chloe on the head. "And you three go in a group."

"Right" Ed nodded. "We'll go this way, you go around the border of the island and try the other side."

"Ok" Cara nodded. "Good luck."

"Same."

The groups split, and ran off in search of Izumi.

"Hey, Cara?" Chloe asked as she ran alongside the red head. "Are you ok now?"

Cara sighed and a smirk passed over her face "Yeah. I was afraid but… I can't afford to just run away from everything… Even if I do continue and try to live as a human, I can't tuck my tail whenever the homunculi come around. I'm not going to let myself be that weak."

"You'll never be weak" Chloe sighed and Cara stopped in mid stride to stare back at the younger girl. "You're one of the strongest people I know Cara, and keeping so many things bottled up kills you inside. It hurts to keep secrets" she bit her lip. "I didn't know… that you were dying Cara."

Cara sucked in a sharp breath and turned her face away "What makes you say that?"

"Ed accidentally let it slip." Chloe admitted. "Why didn't you ever tell me?"

"I thought I implied it" Cara murmured after a pause. "When I said don't rely on me… because I may not always be around."

"I'm not always good at the subtle things" Chloe sighed. "I'm just book smart. You're the one who's good with strategy and stuff even if you aren't book smart. Why do you think I've been following you all this time? I don't think you're weak Cara. And you're my friend."

Cara opened her mouth to reply when another voice beat her to it.

"Well, isn't this touching?"

Both girls whirled to see Envy leaning casually against a tree, with a woman dressed in fancy business attire beside him. He was smirking broadly again "How nice of you to split off from the large group, Little Devil. It saves me the trouble."

Chloe stepped in front of Cara, glaring viciously in Envy's general direction "Go away!"

"Why would I do that little blind girl?" Envy smirked mockingly. Chloe flinched at this and he laughed "Didn't think I noticed huh? You're eyes were just never quite focused, you know. Though you're surprisingly mobile for a handicapped girl."

Chloe's fists clenched "Shut up you-" she started to yell but Cara put a hand on her shoulder.

"Chloe, stop… go find Ed and Al… right now."

Chloe looked surprised "But… why?"

"Because these two are homunculi who can't die… we need more help" Cara stated, a lot more calmly than she felt. "I'll hold them. You get the boys."

Chloe shook her head "No, you can't ask me to leave again. Every time you do you end up getting hurt."

"I don't much care, now scram!" Cara shoved the girl to the side. "The quicker you find them the better."

"But-"

"GO!" Cara snapped, waving her hand.

Chloe glared blankly into space before turning to run "Don't you dare die Cara!"

"Give me more credit kid" Cara smirked as Chloe disappeared into the woods.

"What a loyal pawn you keep" Envy commented.

"She's not a pawn, she's an assistant." Cara corrected. "Or… a friend."

"Oh I see, so you were worried you little friend might get caught in the cross fire and you sent her off. How noble of you." Envy sighed sarcastically.

In reality, that was only partly true. If anything scared Cara, she wanted to take it down. Even though she knew that this was unlikely and that Chloe might not find the boys in time.

"Let's just get this over with" Cara growled, letting two knives slip into her hands.

"I'll take care of this one Sloth" Envy told the woman behind him. "I'll be more than enough."

With that blow to her ego Cara didn't bother to wait for Envy to strike. She lunged first, knives at her sides as she flew at the smirking homunculus. He dodged her first kick and she hit a tree instead but she managed to kick off the trunk and land in a crouch just in time to avoid a blow to the head. She was pooling all her strength into her attack, because she wanted to catch him by surprise. But in the back of her head, she knew she couldn't win. Envy couldn't die. She would eventually get an attack. And then it would be done. But she could face that. If she died here then she didn't really have to face the lurking fear of a painful death in the future.

But she still didn't quite want to die yet.

What she did want to do, was kick Envy's ass.

The smirk never left Envy's face as they fought. He seemed to be enjoying himself which pissed Cara off to no end. The smirk was all it took to insult Cara. He didn't have to do anything else to annoy her.

The inevitable suddenly struck Cara with a force that sent her right to her knees. An attack, one more painful than she had ever felt yet. She curled in on herself on the ground as she shook violently, cries of pain slipping from her clenched teeth. It lasted for what seemed like forever before the pain finally stopped. Almost immediately she began to cough violently and sticky red liquid spewed out of her throat.

Blood.

She was coughing up blood.

"You're getting worse aren't you?" Envy smirked from above her as she stared at the red ground in shock. Cara glared up at the homunculus from where she lay on her side. She couldn't move. She found breathing a bit difficult as well. It was getting worse, really fast.

"Kill her and be done with it Envy." Sloth told the homunculus sharply. "She isn't an alchemist. We have no use for her."

Envy ignored the woman and knelt down next to Cara "Seems like your friends aren't back yet. Then again I guess you didn't expect that to happen, did you?" he took her right wrist gently in one of his hands, watching her face carefully.

Cara made a feeble attempt to pull wrist away but that was all she could manage as Envy's grip didn't loosen. He took the edge of the bandage between his fingers and began to undo it. He took his time. He was enjoying Cara's fear and hatred.

"Envy what are you doing?" Sloth demanded.

"Shut up Sloth" Envy smirked and pulled away the rest of the bandage. He glanced down at Cara's palm and chuckled "Yeah, I thought so." He ran his thumb over the small red mark on her hand. "How does it feel knowing that you're not human, little _homunculus_?"

Cara closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath "Shut up."

Envy smirked, picking Cara up like she weighed nothing, despite her weak struggles. He straightened "I know we already have the seven but I think the old lady will find this one interesting."

"This_ is_ interesting… how did you know?" Sloth asked, observing Cara with only moderate interest.

"I'm just good like that" Envy shrugged, glancing down at the red head in his arms.

There was the sound of running coming through the forest and Cara glanced up to see the kid running from the forest, looking afraid "They're after me!"

"Hurry, transmute yourself into me." Sloth said… like that was normal. The boy didn't question her either and did just that, disappearing into her. "We should go."

"Right, there's a boat waiting a little ways down the island." Envy nodded.

Cara made one more attempt to struggle but Envy just sighed and glanced down at her "You never stop trying, do you? Why don't you sleep for a little while?"

And she could do nothing but obey as darkness claimed her.

* * *

_**Arc one has reached it's conclusion! I'm a third of the way done!**_

**_Cara: And of course I'm screwed._**

**_Chloe: Next chapter is depressing!_**

**_Ed: Fan flippin tastic._**

**_Al: REVIEW!_**


	24. Chapter 23: Falling Up

**_Hi! I'm back with the next chapter. This is the start of the second arc of course, and for those of you who want to know the opening and ending song they are: Futatsu no Kodou to Akai Tsumi._**

**_Cara: What a mouthful._**

**_And Still doll. Both of them are from the show vampire knight. They're pretty awesome songs even if the series isn't my favorite._**

**_Chloe: Because Twilight eternally turned her off vampires._**

**_Envy: Mostly because they sparkle... and that's just stupid._**

**_Ed: REVIEW!_**

Ed stared blankly at the beach for several moments, rooted on the spot. This was where Chloe had brought them, saying that Cara was in trouble and that Envy had showed up. But there was no Envy. There was no Cara either. But the sands weren't completely empty. There was blood splattered on the ground in one place, and next to that was a pile of used bandages and a fallen knife.

That left only a couple scenario's both of which were grim. Either she had been killed first and then they had found out she was a homunculus (Which seemed unlikely since there was no body). Or she was injured and they found out then that she was a homunculus before taking her with them. Neither was good. Especially after Ed had seen what the kid had turned into.

'_Envy helped me remember what I am'_

That kid… Wrath. What had Envy done to him to change him in such a short period of time?

'_That is how the damned are born! That is a homunculus!'_

The damned… so Cara was created from a failed human transmutation just like Wrath. Did she know that yet? Ed couldn't help but wonder who created her and he hated to think what was happening to her now.

But he felt even worse in that moment for Chloe.

The blind girl looked lost, kneeling on the beach, her eyes more blank than usual, her body trembling for her sobs.

"Too late… I was too late… Cara."

"Chloe, it will be fine" Al tried to console her but it wasn't working.

Chloe shook her head "If I had been faster…"

"I don't think there's anything we could have done" Ed murmured. "Envy knew about the tattoo… I don't know how but he did."

"It doesn't matter!" Chloe hissed. "Cara's gone! She's been discovered and they took her! So what's going to happen now?"

"I… don't know." Ed muttered before slamming his auto-mail fist against a tree as hard as he could, cracking the bark with the force. "Damn it!"

* * *

The first time Cara woke up, she was in a darkened room, lying in a bed. She wondered briefly if it had all been a dream and she was back in Izumi's house… but Izumi didn't have any beds with purple sheets. Cara had recently come to dislike the color of violet. It was the color of the homunculi's cat like eyes.

"Finally, you've been out for awhile" Envy's unwelcome voice muttered as he emerged from the dark of the room. "You took a hard hit with that little attack of yours didn't you?"

"What's it to you?" Cara spat, sitting herself up in the bed.

Envy shrugged and smirked "Absolutely nothing" he opened his hand to reveal a series of small red stones. "Eat these."

Cara stared at him for a moment before replying coolly. "I don't take candy from strangers."

"Well it's a good thing I'm not a stranger then." Envy rolled his eyes.

"No you're just the _psychopath who kidnapped me_!" Cara growled.

Envy sighed and crossed over to the bed. Cara squeezed her lips shut and glared defiantly at him. He seemed amused by her attempts at resistance "Fine."

Before she could pull away he seized her face in one hand, plugging up her nose so that she couldn't breathe without opening her mouth. Cara glared at him viciously at this cheap shot before she opened her mouth to take a breath. Envy all but shoved the red stones into her mouth, forcing her to swallow or choke.

They tasted good in actuality. Sort of sweet but slightly tangy.

"Wh-what are these?" Cara asked suspiciously, staring at the rest of the stones in Envy's hand… wanting more, not just for the taste.

Envy smirked and replied "Eat the rest, little devil."

Cara glared, distrustfully at the homunculus. She didn't trust whatever these things were, but she craved them now. She took the rest of the stones and ate them quickly.

"Well that's proof if nothing else is" Envy sighed, leaning back against the wall. Cara found her head was starting to get a little fuzzy. "I was raised on the stones, I fancy the taste myself. So do you. Because neither of us are human." He cocked his head to the side. "But you are a strange one aren't you? Living among humans for so long. You'd almost think we could _be _one of them."

A cold, creeping feeling was washing over Cara, like being submerged in ice water. Envy's image on the wall was beginning to blur as she slumped onto the bed, no longer able to sit up, her heart pounding like adrenalin was being shot through her body. Now her head was throbbing horribly.

Envy's smirk broadened as she fell "It's starting to work now. I wonder what effect this will have on you. By the way, this might be a little bit… painful."

As if on cue, a cry slipped between Cara's clenched teeth as she began to thrash on the bed, before all went dark.

* * *

_There was a girl staring at her, short red hair, bright green eyes and a bright smile. She looked little more than three years old as she rocked back and forth on her heels. She was in front of a mirror. The girl was her. She was dressed in a typical toddler's dress to her disgust, purple… she hated purple. But something wasn't right. Cara's eyes weren't green… her eyes were gold. Why were her eyes green here?_

_The scene faded and changed, now to a boy with sandy blonde hair and gold eyes grinning down at her, his hands on his knees as he bent over "Hey Katie! What are you doing out here? You're not supposed to be this far from the house."_

'_Who is he' Cara's older mind wondered. 'Why is he calling me Katie? Is this all a weird dream? What is this.'_

"_Saw a butterfly" she heard her two year old voice mumble. "Wanted to catch it!"_

_An older girl laughed. She had red hair brushed out of her face and tied back in a pony tail, with kind blue eyes "You shouldn't get so close to the creek Katie. It's dangerous you know."_

'_Who is Katie? Who are you people? What is going on?' Cara wanted to cry but she couldn't say a thing. She could only let her toddler year old self try and kick the boy._

"_I am fine" each word was said with difficulty. The child probably couldn't talk very well yet. "I can take care of myself."_

"_No you can't" the boy laughed and scooped her up as she giggled madly, setting her on his shoulders. "But your big brother and sister will protect you."_

_The older girl was laughing as Cara's younger self giggled and clapped her hands "Way, way, way up high!"_

_The boy ran with the older girl, Cara's toddler self on his shoulders, all the way back to the house._

_The scene changed once again. She was by the creek with the boy and girl again. The boy was skipping rocks in the water and the girl was watching from the shade lazily. Cara was picking grass from the ground, watching the bugs crawl through the earth. Then she looked up and saw a butterfly beating it's wings before it alighted on a flower._

_The toddler grinned and reached out with a small hand to grab at the creature but it fluttered out of reach. Standing on wobbly, child's legs, she stumbled after it, giggling at this innocent game of chase, always missing the butterfly. The older boy and girl weren't paying attention. The little girl was getting dangerously close to the creeks edge._

'_Stop!' Cara wanted to yell. 'Kid, Katie, me… whoever you are! What are you doing? Go back!' But she couldn't say anything. It was like being trapped in a memory she couldn't alter. But what was this memory? She didn't know the people, she barely looked like herself. What the hell was this?_

_The girl continued in pursuit of the butterfly, jumping and clapping her hands as she stumbled after the creature. It had translucent violet wings. Pretty to the three year old, deadly to Cara's older self, who could only let the toddler guide her where she would._

_Then the little girl stepped on a slippery stone at the edge of the creek, she lost her footing, after all toddlers don't have good balance, and she fell with a scream as scrawny little hands groped for something to grab._

"_KATIE!" the boy's voice shouted._

_A second later she hit the rushing water, drowning in cold, before her head hit a sharp rock, pain burst through her skull and all went black._

_In the next scene she was looking out of something, something like a deformed human skeleton, a rib cage maybe. It looked fresh, it was dripping with blood. The room was dark and splattered with blood. "My eyes!" someone sobbed, the voice of the boy. "My eyes… where are they? Katie! Katie are you there? Answer, please" the boy was sobbing dryly, no longer able to make tears in his bloody eye sockets._

_The door burst open and the older girl ran in "Ryan! Ryan what have you… oh!" her hand flew to her mouth as she looked towards where Cara watched. "Oh god… you didn't."_

"_Rachel…" Ryan whispered. "I… I can't see… what happened? Where is Katie?"_

"_Wherever she is" Rachel breathed. "It's not that _thing_."_

_And Ryan broke down into sobs again as the scene faded to an open plane. She was lying in the middle of the tall grass, breathing ragged, for who knows how long. She couldn't move, she could just wait. From this angle she could see that her hands were that of a skeleton's. Days and nights passed without moving until she raised her hand to see that it was a normal flesh hand again. Like she was repaired. On the inside of the flesh hand was a blood red oroborus tattoo._

"_Oh my… Dad! Dad come look at this!" a voice called. Cara raised her eyes to see… David? Yes, that was David, her oldest adopted brother. Was this the field she had been found in?_

_Her adopted father came into view "A girl… is she alive?"_

"_Her eyes are moving around" David nodded._

_Her adoptive father nodded "Pick her up David. We'll get her cleaned up."_

_David lifted her into strong arms "Where did you come from little one?" he asked softly. "Gold eyes with red hair? That sure is strange."_

_Faces flashed across her vision. Her adopted family, her two brothers, David and Jake, and her younger twin sisters, Ellen and Jane. Her adopted mom and dad and then more current faces. Hughes, Winry, Alphonse, Edward, Chloe. And as each face passed through her vision she felt a draining feeling… like she didn't even care about them. Like they were nothing to her. Just humans. They were just humans weren't they? They didn't matter. Then everything was black._

_But Cara failed to care._

* * *

Cara woke, gasping, the rush of images making her head hurt. Her body ached like she had been through another huge attack recently. Maybe she had. Maybe she had an attack during her sleep. This time Envy was not in the room but another woman who she recognized.

"You're Lust right?" Cara croaked, her voice hoarse.

Lust's mouth quirked "That's right. You're throat probably feels bad from screaming so much. I did the same thing" she sighed and ran a hand through luscious black hair. "Painful isn't it?"

"Wh-what was all that?" Cara murmured. "There were a boy and a girl older than me that I didn't recognize… they called me…" she racked her mind. "Called me…"

"The memories will give you trouble. It can be hard to recall them some times." Lust smiled. Cara noted that she was much kinder than at the lab when she had suggested that the thief be thrown in the circle for the philosopher's stone along with all the rest of the prisoners.

"Memories" Cara repeated. "What do you mean memories?"

"Shadows of what you were." A new voice answered. Cara glanced in the direction of the voice to see an older woman smiling at her. Envy leaned in a corner behind her, arms crossed as he regarded Cara with a smirk. The woman continued "They are nothing more than cruel obstacles that should be ignored. They will get you know where dwelling on human ties."

"Right," Cara said warily. "And just who are you lady?"

"I am Dante" she replied, with the same cool smile. "As for you, we don't have a name for you quite yet."

"What was the problem with my old one?" Cara retorted, not really liking this woman.

"You don't want a silly human name dear" Dante laughed like Cara was a foolish child who just didn't understand. It annoyed Cara. "You are a homunculus." She cocked her head to the side, studying the red head "Interesting how your eyes have not changed color. They have remained gold. That is very peculiar. Then again you are quite peculiar aren't you?"

Cara nodded once "Sure, whatever, we'll go with that."

Dante smiled and held out a hand filled with red stones "You should take more of these, child."

Cara raised her eyebrows skeptically "Last time I did that I was kind of in for a rough night."

"A common effect after you first take them" Dante said simply. "That will not happen again, I assure you."

"I am not reassured."

"Take the damn stones kid" Envy rolled his eyes.

Cara shot a glare in his direction "Now I want to take them even _less_."

"I'll shove them down your throat if I have to."

"Try me you son of a-"

"Now come on." Dante chided, like she was breaking up to children from a fight. Cara was just glad that this seemed to irritate Envy as much as it did her. "We will not force her to take them. She is a guest after all." She smiled at Cara who didn't return it. Dante set the stones on the bed side table and headed for the door.

"Lust, get her some clothing and bring her to the living room. I will explain things further there." She said before exiting.

Envy smirked at Cara "See you then little devil."

"Psychotic palm tree" Cara muttered under her breath.

Lust sighed when Envy left the room before nodding her head to the stones "You should eat those."

"I know" Cara scooped them up in her hand. "I didn't want to do it when that old hag was telling me to."

"Master is not someone you want to trifle with" Lust warned. "Even if she acts kind."

"Master?" Cara stared, raising an eyebrow. "She is… your master?"

"All of the homunculi's."

"I'm skeptical."

Lust's mouth quirked. "Just know that she didn't get that position because of her smile."

"I'd hope not" Cara popped the red stones into her mouth and chewed. "That smile isn't very reassuring if you ask me." Dante wasn't lying about the red stones effect on her now that she had taken them. She didn't black out. A series of quick images merely flashed across her vision causing her to wince and put a hand to her head before it subsided.

"I suppose we should find something for you to wear." Lust stood and wandered over to a wardrobe in the center.

"What about the clothes I'm wearing now?" Cara asked suspiciously.

Lust's mouth quirked again as she cast Cara an amused glanced "You might've noticed that you aren't wearing any under that blanket."

Cara blinked "Ok, hang on a second. How the Hell did I get out of my clothes?"

Lust considered this "…that… is not important. Let's see… " she studied the contents of the wardrobe. "You can put forth an opinion if you want. Skirt or dress?"

"Neither" Cara shook her head furiously. "Dear god… I can't stand those things. They're so hard to move around in!"

"Fine then." Lust brought out a set of long, tight fitting black pants and a tank top. "This will have to do."

"Where do you people get all of these black clothes?" Cara asked curiously.

"That… is also not important." Lust headed for the door. "Change and come out when you're done."

Cara sat in the bed for a little while longer before slipping out. She was surprised with how calm she really felt. I mean, she had been kidnapped and she should be trying to get out. But she wanted to find out about the memories, and what a homunculus was. A voice in the back of her head told her to get back to the Elric's and Chloe, but she just didn't care.

She dressed quickly as Lust had instructed, throwing on the tank top and pants. Both were tight fitting but at least they weren't a risqué dress like Lust's clothing. She guessed that it would have to do. Studying her face in the mirror she could see that she looked paler now and her hair seemed to have grown longer, still the same red color. Her eyes were still gold, not violet, which she was happy about. She really did hate the color violet. As an afterthought she tied her longer red hair up into a messy pony tail behind her head before walking out of the room to join Lust.

"Well? What do you think" she asked.

Lust smirked and looked Cara up and down critically "I've seen worse."

"Thanks so much." Cara rolled her eyes and she followed the older woman down the hall.

She shouldn't be this calm. She should be panicking. But she wasn't. Was it the stones? Was she changed just like the kid? Maybe she was.

But though she searched, she couldn't find the will to care.

* * *

_**Hooray for angsty dream sequences!**_

**_Cara: Lord knows, you do them alot._**

**_Yeah but mostly with Liz in my other fanfic. This is your first one._**

**_Liz: Whose life sucks more? Me or Cara's?_**

**_Chloe: That's a hard one..._**

**_Envy: Huh... yeah it is..._**

**_Oh yeah and I need you to vote on what the pairing is going to be! I'm at a loss! I thought I knew but now I don't so vote on the poll that will be on my page._**

**_Ed: REVIEW!_**


	25. Chapter 24: Apathy

_**Ok so sorry I was a little delayed. I was lazy. But here's the next chapter!**_

**_Cara: More depressing crap!_**

**_Chloe: Aren't you happy?_**

**_Ed: If not, be happy._**

**_Envy: Or I will kill you._**

**_Al: REVIEW!_**

_

* * *

_

_ By far the most dangerous foe we have to fight is apathy - indifference from whatever cause, not from a lack of knowledge, but from carelessness, _

_ from absorption in other pursuits, from a contempt bred of self satisfaction" –William Osler_

The rest of the house was just as fancy as the bedroom. And everything, the furniture, the curtains the carpet, everything was purple. That same color that Cara hated so much. What was with the old lady and that stupid color? It was so revolting. Maybe as revolting as the old lady herself, wrinkly, sickly sweet but with this threatening air around her, a smug one. If the homunculi followed the old hag, she must have something to be afraid of.

Cara wasn't afraid of her though. What did it matter the other homunculi followed her? Why should she give a crap? She saw more reason to be afraid of Envy than the old lady.

"Much better" Dante smiled when Cara had entered the room and plopped down lazily on one of the couches, glaring at where Envy was leaning against the wall on the opposite side of the room, still smirking at her. Did he ever stop smirking? In Cara's mind, he had two modes: smirking and angry.

"So you have probably figured out by now that you are a homunculus" Dante said, resting her chin on her folded hands as she observed Cara. "But do you know how you were born?"

"I popped out of nowhere?" Cara guessed sarcastically. "I don't know, I fail alchemic stuff or what not. I know homunculi are created humans… that's it."

"A homunculus" Dante continued, pausing for dramatic effect. "Is created after a failed human transmutation. Someone tried to bring you back to life. It back fired. And he lost something as a result. All homunculi were created in this way. You are creatures created by the pride and sin of humans, shadows of the person they tried to bring back. But you are not that person. No matter what visions you get, they are merely illusions."

"Human transmutation" Cara repeated. "You mean what Ed and Al tried?"

"Yes I do" Dante nodded. "Sloth is the homunculus that spawned from their failure."

Cara crossed her arms "Great, fan bloody tastic. So the kid is what spawned out of Izumi's transmutation?"

"You mean Wrath" Dante nodded. "That is correct."

"You're pretty indifferent about all this." Envy noted.

Cara shrugged "If I did have any feelings on the matter, do you think I'd show them to you?" She turned her eyes back on Dante "So Homunculi are created humans, they regenerate, their faster, stronger, and they can't die right?"

"That's right." Dante confirmed.

"That's all fine and good except for one little thing" Cara smirked. "I'm dying lady. What's your explanation for that huh?"

"I have been considering that." Dante mused. "Envy told me about your… condition. You do believe your dying?"

"Well the attacks will eventually grow together and I'm pretty sure that means death." Cara growled.

"I'll try to put this in small words so you can understand" Dante said smugly, in a way that made Cara want to rip her throat out. "Homunculi have no souls. This is why they feed on the red stones, which are made up of human lives. In a way they still do live off souls. However, how long can a being without a soul last without some undesired side effects?"

"Go on" Cara said slowly.

"You have live several years with no soul or a replacement of a soul and your body has had to feed off itself in order to keep you functioning. Your situation has grown dire and the attacks are the result. This is truly proof that a homunculus can't live as a human. They will eventually die."

Cara stared "So are you saying I'm dead and that's it?"

"No of course not" Dante smiled. "That is why you have the stones. They can save your life."

"The stones can stop the attacks" Cara repeated. "And… and they'll be gone? And I can live without… waiting for the next one to come and always having to restrain myself?"

Dante's smile widened "That's right child. We can give you the stones. And you will be cured."

Cara was doing her best to appear uninterested but she wasn't doing very well. For six years, all she wanted was to make the attacks go away. To not face death. To be able to live. That was all she ever wanted. Here was a chance to get rid of her one fear. Her only fear.

"And what would happen if I continued to go without the stones?" Cara asked slowly.

"The attacks would grow together, you would lose your ability to speak, then your sight, hearing, smell taste until you died in a dark and silent world of agony" Envy supplied helpfully from the wall with a slightly sadistic smirk.

The words hit home for Cara. That was exactly what she didn't want. A slow, agonizing death in a world of nothing but pain. That was her fear. She wondered if Envy had seen her flinch. By his widening smirk, she guessed he had.

They both looked so smug. They knew she was being roped in here and that she had no other options. She needed the stones. She needed to be free.

Chloe briefly entered her mind. Did she need the kid? Was the kid really ever more than an assistant or tool for her use? Besides, she had told Chloe not to trust her. But still it seemed like she should go back. But she just couldn't. Maybe they were worried, but she found her solution. She had no reason to travel with them anymore. This was her solution.

Lust had said nothing this whole time. Just stood behind the couch, listening. Her face looked grim when Cara glanced at her. Who knew why?

"I'll go along with this" Cara looked Dante dead in the eye. "But not because I like you. I don't like you at all. I hate Envy even more. I'm doing this for the stones."

"I'd expect nothing less" Dante shrugged.

"What about your friends?" Envy asked, his eye narrowed in a challenge.

Cara shrugged "I traveled with them in order to find away to get rid of these attacks. I've found my solution. There's no need for me to travel with them anymore. If the kid has any since, she'll move on."

There was a brief silence before Envy said "Apathy."

Everyone looked at him oddly and a smirk drew over his face "That's the best name I can come up with for her. She doesn't care about much anything does she?"

"Yes….Apathy." Dante smiled at Cara. "That will be your name."

Cara's mouth quirked upwards in a smirk "Actually… I think I like that."

* * *

"So she's gone?" Izumi murmured, crossing her arms from where she lay in the bed. "This is bad no doubt. I don't know what they did to my child to make him that vengeful creature…but maybe Cara can with stand it. She has a stronger will than a child.

Ed half smiled. He at least knew that. Her will was unfailing. She wanted something, she'd get it. If she didn't want something she'd destroy it.

"Chloe hasn't said a thing" Al murmured. "She's up in her room. Winry is trying to talk to her but…"

"This must be hard for her" Izumi sighed. "I can see the devotion she has to that girl. She's do anything she said. She probably blames herself for this."

"Cara would have been caught eventually" Ed shook his head. "Envy knew, somehow, that she was a homunculus. It wasn't Chloe's fault."

"I'm worried about her. She hasn't eaten either" Al stared at the ground.

"You are welcome to stay here for awhile, in interest of Cara's possible return" Izumi nodded. "But another thing… I'm expelling both of you."

"What?" Al and Ed's eyes widened.

"The Teacher is just as foolish as her students. I can't help you anymore." Izumi turned her head away from them. "But you may stay. Just not as my pupils."

There was a long silence before Ed rose to his feet "Alright teacher." He bowed his head. "Thank you."

He was too worried about Chloe and Cara to really be distressed. As long as they could stay here, Al and him could ask their questions about the philosophers stone later.

Whenever things could get back to normal.

* * *

"We are lucky to have the one thing that can control her" Dante said, crossing her arms after Apathy had left the room, led by Lust, to her new quarters.

"Because if we didn't she would be out of here tonight." Envy smirked, straightening from where he leaned on the wall. "She's not so easily manipulated. I wouldn't trust her completely."

"I don't Envy, do you take me for a fool." Dante asked a tone of annoyance in her voice. "She is unstable and impulsive. She would cross us without a second thought if we didn't have the stones. But we do.

"I have to ask" Envy questioned. "If we have the seven, why did you agree to let her stay? I wouldn't think you'd want to mess up your perfect theme."

"You're the one who brought her back Envy. If you didn't think I'd take her, why did you?" Dante asked. Envy shrugged and she continued. "I have kept her because of her connection to the Elric brothers and that other girl. We still need them. Despite the fact that you want them dead, they are still part of our plan. Apathy is our way to them. She will be the strings on which we manipulate them."

"You think they'll fall for that?" Envy asked incredulously.

"We are fortunate that her eyes have not changed color though I don't know why." Dante nodded. "She can claim that she is still the same." She stood. "I have matters to attend to. You may go."

Envy started to walk from the room before he stopped and turned back "I'm not worried about her connection to that bastard's sons. It's the little girl. It would be easier to just kill her."

"Refrain from that" Dante shook her head. "You said that girl was blind yet is perfectly functioning. I want to know how her alchemy works. Keep her alive for now."

"Fine" Envy rolled his eyes.

"Oh and Envy" Dante called. "Regarding the girl's condition…"

* * *

"This is your room" Lust said opening the door. The furniture was the same sickening purple but Cara forced herself to ignore that. "The stuff you came in with, your jacket and other things are on that chair over there.

"Ok" Cara strode over to her chair and picked up her jacket, whipping it up and down so as to get the dust off. As she did a small box tumbled from the pocket and rolled across the floor.

"What's this?" Lust asked, picking it up and opening it. Immediately the familiar melody began to fill the room. Cara stared at the music box in Lust's hand, frozen on the spot until the music had stopped. Lust herself seemed transfixed.

"Nothing" Cara finally said. "A gift from an old friend is all."

"It's very pretty" Lust commented, closing the box and handing it back to the red head.

Cara sighed and closed her hand around the box so that she didn't have to look at it "Yes. It is."

Lust studied Cara for a long time before she said "Watch your step Apathy."

"Why?" Cara asked.

"Don't trust Dante. She's using you." Lust shook her head. "You know that right?"

"I'm aware" Cara sighed. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because…" Lust trailed off and chose her words carefully. "It's interesting… the idea that we could live as normal humans. You actually did."

"Yeah, it did me a lot of good, didn't it?" Cara smiled bitterly and set the music box on the table. "And I don't trust Dante. I don't trust anyone. I'm here for my own reasons."

"Yes… yes I know" Lust headed for the door. "I have somewhere to be. I'll see you later."

"Right" Cara nodded, staring at the door for a long time after Lust had closed it. She seemed so oddly concerned. Why?

She glanced at the music box on the table for a minute before shaking her head angrily "It's just a stupid song."

_I don't care. I am Apathy. I don't care._

* * *

_**Cara: So now I'm Apathy I guess. It's like a cool alter ego!**_

**_Chloe: Or an evil twin that exists in your mind._**

**_Ed: Don't the call that Multiple personality disorder?_**

**_Al: Yeah._**

**_Envy: Just like what the authoress has._**

**_(Arguing with imaginary friends) I DIDN'T KILL THE CAT I SWEAR! FLUFFY MEANT THE WORLD TO ME! IT WAS VOICE NUMBER 2!_**

**_Cara: ...That's scary._**

**_Envy: Indeed._**

**_Chloe: Keep voting on the pairing poll everybody! It's still up!_**

**_Wrath: And REVIEW!_**


	26. Chapter 25: Deception

_**Ok, sorry for the hold up but here it is!**_

**_Envy: And since it's late she isn't going to bother with an intro._**

**_Cara: So shutup and Enjoy._**

**_Chloe: AND REVIEW!_**

* * *

_ "We are never deceived; we deceive ourselves." -unknown_

"She's giving me an assignment already?" Cara asked in disbelief when Lust had delivered the news.

"Call it a test" Lust shrugged. "To see if you're really on our side now… and an infiltration sort of mission."

"Great, what's that?"

"We still need to travel with the Elric brothers."

Cara turned and stared at Lust "Huh?"

"Just like how it used to be" Lust continued. "We need you to not only tell us where they plan to go but also manipulate where they will go. They're important resources for us." She sighed. "And if you truly don't care anymore, this will prove it."

Cara's eyes rested on the music box without her meaning to and she stared at it blankly for a minute. "I don't have a choice do I?"

"No" Lust shook her head. "You're supposed to be good at lying. This will be second nature for you. We'll see how well you can pull this off."

"It's not going to be easy" Cara muttered. "They saw how quickly the kid was changed into Wrath. They might think it's happened to me already too."

"You still have your gold eyes, that will help." Lust reminded her.

"Yeah." Cara got to her feet from where she sat on the bed. "I'll do it."

* * *

"You want me to do what?" Envy asked in disbelief, staring at Dante.

"Follow them. Watch Apathy. I still don't trust her." Dante said simply.

"Why do I have to?" Envy demanded.

"Lust and Gluttony will be tracking down Greed; Sloth is watching Wrath and Pride has his hands full watching the country. You're the only one who can." Dante sighed, like she was explaining something simple to a child.

Envy always hated that tone of voice.

"I don't want to watch that brat" Envy growled. "Not to mention having to just follow the Elric's without killing them is like dangling that Bastard who created me in front of my nose and not letting me kill him! Why can't I just kill one?"

"Out of the question Envy. For now at least." Dante said firmly. "You'll get to kill them one day. Be patient. For now, this is your assignment. Understood."

Envy growled before rolling his eyes and stalking from the room "Whatever."

* * *

"Good luck" Lust said, as Cara adjusted her old black jacket and hid a series of knives on her person.

"I have horrible luck" Cara sighed, with a shrug. "Who knows, maybe the red stones change that. Where are you headed?"

"Tracking down a rouge homunculus named Greed" Lust said. "With Gluttony."

"Rouge homunculus?" Cara cocked her head to the side.

"Yes, he was with us for a couple centuries before he broke off, being greedy, and Dante had him sealed away in lab five. Your visit their caused a bit of a commotion which allowed him to break out. We need to find him before he causes us too much trouble."

"Oh, well good luck with that." Cara gave her a nod before she started off. Once the mansion was out of sight Cara briefly glanced around to make sure no one was watching before she crouched and launched herself into the air. She landed on the branch of a tree, fifteen feet above her. She grinned and leapt easily to the next branch, then the next, with a speed no human could achieve. She felt free. So unbelievably free.

Though at the same time, trapped. But if she could live without the attacks… if she could live… it made being trapped not seem so bad.

* * *

"Hey, Chloe" Al knocked on the door. "Come on, you have to come out… I'm coming in ok?" He waited a second before opening the door… only to see a bed sheet rope going out the window. "Oh no… Brother!"

"What is it?" Ed hurried over to him. He took one look at the room before cursing "Shit. Where does she think she's going? Come on! We've got to find her!"

* * *

Chloe stumbled along the banks of Yok island until she reached the place where Cara had been taken. She wasn't even sure what she was doing back here. Wasn't Cara gone? No… Cara couldn't be. Cara was fine. She was strong. She had always been so strong.

Even though Cara couldn't understand alchemy, she had always had the headstrong mind that Chloe could follow, if not the moral code. But it was more than that. Anyone who could live with Cara had to live with was strong. Even if she didn't show it, Chloe knew it weighed on her horribly. And now that she knew Cara had been facing a death sentence from her condition it made it even worse.

She wasn't sure how long she sat there before she heard the sound of metal footsteps and felt the vibrations going through the sand.

"Cara" Al murmured. "What are you doing over here?"

"I…" Chloe bit her lip. "Cara… I just thought…"

"Dwelling on it and beating yourself up isn't going to change anything." Ed muttered, shaking his head.

"If I had been faster…"

"No Chloe" Ed said firmly. "Cara sent you away because she knew that she wouldn't be killed ok? She sent you away because she thought you would be. She didn't send you to get us. She was trying to buy time. She knew she couldn't win."

Chloe hugged her arms around her legs and buried her face in her knees as a few tears escaped the confines of her eyes.

"We'll find her" Al assured Chloe. "We'll find her." Though it seemed like he was reassuring himself as much as Chloe.

"Find who?" a familiar voice asked.

Ed and Al whirled in the direction of the voice Chloe's head flew up "Cara?"

Ed stared in shock at the familiar red head who was hanging upside down by her legs on the branch of a tree, a familiar smirk stretched over her face.

"Yo." She swung off the branch and landed on one knee.

"Cara!" Chloe got to her before they did, hugging her tightly "You're ok!"

Car stumbled with the force the little blonde girl had hit her with. She stared at her in surprise for a minute before she sighed and patted Chloe on the head "Yeah… I'm ok." Her eye moved to Ed who was observing her with a kind of suspicion. "What's wrong pipsqueak? Thought you got rid of me?"

The corner of Ed's mouth twitched "So you are still Cara? You're not… changed?"

"How easily manipulated do you think I am?" Cara asked, narrowing her eyes. "You know that everything I do is by my own choice and conscious."

"Which is scary because you have no conscious."

"Good point."

Al was studying her bandaged hand "Do you really still have to wear that now that everyone basically knows?"

"Not everyone knows Al" Cara wiggled the fingers of her right hand. "And people would still find this tattoo weird, you know?"

Ed was still studying the red head. How could she not be changed if the kid was so easily? But no… her eyes were still gold. They weren't purple. She had to be still the same.

* * *

Envy almost felt like laughing at this display. In fact, the Fullmetal pipsqueak had even started out suspicious but dismissed uncertainties a few minutes later. What's more, he couldn't tell a difference from Cara and Apathy. She had molded almost perfectly into her old role. Granted she still remembered everything from it.

But it wouldn't last even so. Something would happen, they would find out. Honestly, he hoped that would happen soon. He wanted to see the look on those bastard's sons' faces and the little girls.

He couldn't wait to see what happened when they discovered Apathy.

* * *

They didn't suspect her but Cara felt like they were waiting to find Apathy. She knew they weren't but she felt like they were. Chloe and Al were completely unsuspecting and though Ed had been suspicious at first, he had dismissed most of his uncertainties.

This never used to happen when she lied. But every smirk, every casual remark seemed forced to her, though it seemed natural to them. All they needed to do was discover the red lines. Just like the other homunculi she discovered red lines when she looked in the mirror. They began on the back of her wrists, just covered by her jacket, and ran all the way to meet in the center of her back. There were red lines also on her ankles that extended up to that same place. The mark of a homunculus she guessed.

If they saw those then they would know. Luckily Chloe couldn't see. But she would have to watch her step around Ed and Al.

Izumi probably had her own suspicions but if she did, she didn't say anything. Maybe Izumi knew that Cara was changed but didn't believe she would not go with the homunculi, or something like that. Who knew?

Winry was just as unsuspecting as the others. Cara knew Al wouldn't ask. She knew Chloe wouldn't ask. She knew Winry would ask.

Ed would.

Eventually, she knew Ed would.

* * *

Something was up with Cara. Chloe knew something had happened. She knew the red head well. Her attitude seemed normal but her… presence was just different.

Chloe felt someone enter the room "Who is it?"

"It's me kid." Cara sounded like she was confused.

"That's weird" Chloe murmured. "Your vibrations aren't that pronounced and suddenly I can feel every movement."

Cara was silent for a moment before she said "Yeah… weird."

Chloe opened her mouth, maybe to ask what was wrong, but she closed it right after. Nothing was wrong. Cara was still Cara. Nothing was wrong.

She continued to repeat that in her head long after Cara had left the room.

* * *

"So how much longer are we sticking around here?" Cara asked, leaning back in her chair a few days later, pretending to look interested.

"A few more days, maybe" Ed shrugged. "Before we plan to move south, to find Scar you know."

"Of course, how could I forget my best friend the psychopathic preacher" Cara muttered sarcastically.

Chloe smiled weakly "Looking forward to it." She rubbed her temples as if she could already feel the migraines.

"You'd be smart not to laze around and do something useful!" Izumi snapped, starling the group. "And I need a few errands run for me. You can do that." The woman thrust the list into Ed's hand. "Get going!"

"Yes ma'am!"

* * *

"Errands, tch" Cara adjusted the groceries under her arm. "Did we get everything on the list kid?"

"I don't know, you tell me" Chloe muttered, waving the list in front of her blank eyes.

The old blind joke almost sent a twinge of guilt through Cara's chest. Almost, but not quite. Really that time seemed like such a long time ago. Back when she was "human", that seemed like years ago. She kept her memories of it but it seemed so distant, like an old black and white picture.

Maybe that was why Cara couldn't seem to make an emotional connection to them.

Cara noticed Chloe frown as they started towards the register and when Chloe frowned, that meant something bad was about to happen. "What is it kid?"

"I can feel… guns… there are people with guns in here." She whispered.

No sooner had the words left her mouth, Cara heard the click of a gun behind her and felt a cool metal barrel press against the small of her back.

"Don't move precious, or you're in for a world of hurt" she heard a gruff voice say behind her. "So is the little girl."

Cara glanced sideways to see Chloe had a gun resting against her temple. A few people throughout the store screamed as more people drew out guns. There were five in all, including the two men behind her.

"Listen up!" the one behind her yelled. "Take out everything on you and dump it in the cash register! Do as we say and you won't get hurt! Try to hide cash, that's where we make your life a living hell." The boss turned to eye the man at the cash register. "Open it up or the red head dies."

"The red head doesn't want to die" Cara felt one side of her mouth quirk upwards into a smirk. "Hey Chloe… what's that on your shoe?"

"Let me check" Chloe sighed, smiling knowingly as she lifted her foot before slamming it back down suddenly, sending a rock fist out of the ground, knocking into the man behind her and sending him flying back. "Woops. Lost my balance."

"What the-" the boss behind Cara started to say before Cara jammed her elbows back into his gut and spun around to kick him in the face "That is for calling me precious."

"You little-" the boss growled, hand over his nose. "Kill her!"

The three other men abandon their previous hostages and lunged towards Cara. She successfully dodged the first two when the other caught her in the chest with the barrel of his gun and she stumbled back, narrowly managing to duck a punch.

"Ok then." Cara smirked. "Guess I should try." She drew a knife from the inside of her jacket and lunged at the man. He was quicker than she estimated but she was having way too much fun to really care. He continued to swing his gun her before raising it to point at her chest. He fired but she had already darted out of the way, and rolled around behind him. She knocked his feet right out from under him with a well placed kick and he was sent sprawling to the ground.

Cara smirked in triumph and rose to her feet.

"Cara, look out!" Chloe cried.

Cara felt a blow to her back that sent her flying forward. Her knife slipped from her hand and skidded across the floor way out of reach. Before Cara could get up she felt a knee on her back and a gun was pointed at her skull.

"Now you die" the boss robber hissed in her ear.

Then something strange happened. Cara reached out her hand towards the fallen knife that rested a good two yards from her, stretching her fingers towards the hilt in desperation. As if pulled my strings the knife skidded across the floor and into her hand. Without having time to question the situation, Cara swung the knife around behind her, neatly slicing the man's throat.

There was a revolting gurgle as the man pitched off her and she got slowly to her feet. The remaining, conscious robbers fled the room.

"Cara what happened?" Chloe asked. "Are you ok?"

"…Yeah" Cara's eyes went to the knife in her hand. It had moved completely on its own. It was a good thing that Chloe couldn't see.

Unfortunately Ed could… and he was standing in the doorway of the store, jaw clenched, eyes narrowed as his eyes flicked from the knife to Cara's face. Without a word he strode forward, seized Cara's arm and pushed up the sleeve to reveal the red line running up the skin.

"You have been changed" he whispered, staring at the red line until his eyes flicked up to glare accusingly at Cara. "You… are not Cara."

For the first time a smirk that wasn't at all forced spread over Cara's face. "No shit Sherlock."

* * *

_**CLIFFIE! **_

**_Envy: You are known for that._**

**_Cara: Pairing poll still up! Get votes in while you can. She's leaving it up for two more updates!_**

**_Ed: REVIEW!_**


	27. Chapter 26: Darker Side

_**Here's the next chapter. Sorry it was late. I was having trouble writing some of the scenes and I was busy with school work.**_

_**Cara: She would've updated yesterday but she was at a competition all day.**_

_**Drawing obsessivly because I have no life.**_

_**Envy: Review!**_

_"Monsters are real and ghosts are live inside of us all and sometimes they win." -Stephen King_

Ed opened his mouth to respond to Cara's statement. She said it so casually. She had said the same thing the first day he met her.

"_You're the red devil right?"_

"_No shit Sherlock."_

It was taunting, it was a challenge, it was like that day. Only this was far worse than her being a thief.

Cara was truly a homunculus now.

Cara jerked her arm away from his grasp in one swift movement and punched him in the stomach with the same fist before he had time to react.

Hell she was stronger now! He hadn't even had time to tense up his gut. With a gasp he doubled over and staggered back a few steps from the girl. "Damn… you…"

"Damn me?" Cara's smirk widened and her eyes narrowed. Her eyes. Why were her eyes still gold? Why weren't they violet? "Don't be ridiculous pipsqueak. I was damned a long time ago. By whatever human thought it was a bright idea to try to bring me back" she cocked her head to the side. "Kind of like, you know, what _you _did."

Ed snarled "Shut up!" and lunged at Cara, a hand still pressed over his stomach.

Cara jumped back and landed a few yards away in a crouch "What are you denying it?"

Ed felt like strangling this homunculus right here. It was Cara… but it wasn't Cara. She retained memories… but… She was different.

"Cara…" Ed turned to see Chloe standing a few yards behind him, wavering like she might fall over. Her eyes were wide and blank. "Cara… why?"

Cara's smirk dropped as she regarded Chloe "You idiot… you really did completely break those three conditions didn't you?"

Chloe's head jerked at these words though Ed didn't know what she was talking about.

Cara raised a hand and ticked them off her fingers "Number one: don't trust me. You obviously thought I would never switch sides. Number two: don't weigh me down. I'll give you credit, you haven't done that. Number three: don't rely on me." Her eyes narrowed. "Look at you. When I got taken you were depressed and in shock. Tell me Chloe. What would you have done if I died! Given up? That's relying on me if nothing else is!"

"But…" Chloe's eyes finally gained a glint of anger. "I didn't think you would ever side with them! I didn't think you'd let yourself be controlled by them! WHY?"

Cara unwrapped the bandage on her hand and let it flutter to the ground. She stared absently at the symbol on her hand. That stupid symbol that had started this. Ed hated that mark more than anything else. "Because I found a way to survive."

A chorus of sharp breaths met this statement.

"You know" Cara continued. "Homunculi have to feed on red stones. Go without them for too long, this happens. These red stones… can cure my attacks."

Ed suddenly felt an acute hatred towards the other homunculi. Offering a remedy to her one fear. Of course she would break… but was that even true?

A smirk re appeared on Cara's face as she turned back to face Ed "You're off the hook Ed. You no longer owe me. The deal was to search with you till I found a way to live. Thank you. I have now. You are no longer in my debt. Great deal right?"

Ed clapped his hands and a blade sprouted from his metal arm.

"Ed wait!" Al started to stop his brother but Ed turned to glare at him.

"She's on their side now, Al." Ed growled. "We can't reason with a soulless beast."

He meant for the comment to anger Cara but she only smiled coldly "Its idiot humans like you who create us soulless beasts. Blame yourself." He smile widened into a smirk "Want to see mommy again?"

Ed snapped and lunged at her, arm raised over his head. Cara didn't even move. Instead Ed's arm stopped in mid lunge and he was jerked back. It was as if his arm was being held by invisible strings.

"You like my new power?" Cara asked, as casually as she would if she was talking about the weather. "I do. Turns out I can move metal objects without touching them. Like a human magnet."

"You mean a _homunculus _magnet" Ed growled viciously. He was thrown back into a shelf.

"Yes, a homunculus magnet. My mistake" Cara smirked. "How about a fair fight pipsqueak? Blade on blade." She drew two knives from her belt. "I won't use my power if you don't use your alchemy."

Ed's eyes narrowed and he raised his hands, about to clap the m together but his metal arm flew up over his head.

"I won't give you the chance to clap your hands together if you say no." Cara reminded him, crossing her arms.

"Fine." Ed snarled.

Cara smirked and released his arm from her invisible grip.

"Ed, Cara, stop." Chloe pleaded.

"Please" Cara sighed. "Call me Apathy."

"Fine then Apathy" Ed lunged at the homunculus.

Cara was quick. It made since to him now why she had always been so fast, since she wasn't human. But now she was even faster. She dodged his blade, blocking him occasionally with her own knives. Still she didn't seem to be trying to kill him. Maybe it was possible that she wasn't allowed to, just like the other homunculi.

She managed to catch him in the knees and knock him off his feet before elbowing him in the back as he fell.

"Don't tell me you're done already" Cara sneered when Ed didn't get up. "I remember you being a little tougher than that."

"I am." Ed growled, kicking his foot up and nailing her in the chest, sending her flying back into the wall, she broke her fall, managing to land in a crouch before she winced and pressed a hand to her abdomen.

"I'm not falling for that!" Ed yelled, raising his blade arm.

A blur flew in front of him and a strong hand grabbed his metal wrist before it had time to fall down on Cara.

"That's enough for today I think" I familiar voice sighed.

* * *

Cara's eyes widened and narrowed in the same beat "Envy? Envy what the hell are you doing here?"

"Saving your ass." Envy smirked back at her. "As fun as it would be to watch the pipsqueak kill you and go through a guilt trip…" He kicked Ed in the stomach and the alchemist was sent reeling back into Al, who caught him and held him up.

"I didn't ask for your help" Cara snarled at him, pushing herself to her feet, but stumbling back against the wall. "Damn it…"

"You act like I care." Envy sighed.

"You" Ed growled. "What are you doing here?"

"Why I've been stalking her of course" Envy jerked his head in Cara's direction. "My master wasn't quite sure if she was going to cross us so she told me to follow her."

"I hate you and that old woman" Cara growled.

"You…" Chloe hissed, her voice filled with more rage than Cara had ever heard it. She was glaring in Envy's direction her fists clenched. "You took Cara. This is your fault." Her voice rose to a yell. "You're the one who took my friend!"

"Chloe!" Al held the blonde girl back as she tried to lunge at Envy.

"I'll kill you!" Chloe screeched. "This is your fault! What did you do? GIVE ME BACK MY FRIEND!"

Envy regarded the struggling girl coldly "You think she ever really cared about you?"

Cara opened her mouth to contradict this but she couldn't remember. Had she ever really cared about the kid?

"She was living as a human till you came along!" Chloe cried.

"Yeah, and a lot of good that did her." Envy sighed. "It was her pretending to be human that damaged her. It really does prove we can't live our lives as humans."

Tears of rage were rolling down Chloe's face as she continued to curse at Envy, threaten him. It was stupid really. Cara knew Chloe could never beat Envy but still…

"We're leaving" Envy said "Come on little devil."

Cara nodded once. Her eyes flicked briefly to meet Ed's. He was staring at her with such hate in his eyes.

"We can't always make the good decisions pipsqueak" she sighed. "Some of us aren't heroes. Some of us just can't care."

And she ran after Envy. Blocking out the sounds of Chloe's sobbing behind her.

* * *

"I had an attack in their Envy" Cara growled, leaning back against a tree when they had run a safe distance away. "What the Hell was that? The red stones are supposed to…"

"Supposed to, yeah" Envy tossed a couple of red stones in her direction. "Eat."

"Why?" Cara growled when she had swallowed the stones. "Why do I still have them?"

Envy crossed his arms and leaned against a tree trunk opposite her "You really want to know?"

Cara glared at him viciously "Yes."

"Because you've done so much damage to yourself it will take a mass amount of red stones to cure you." Envy sighed. "Actually, you should be dead."

"What?" Cara stared.

"That's right. You should've have died a year or two ago. But you've been fighting the attacks and have managed to slow them down, if only a little bit." Envy smirked at her. "But Dante doesn't want to completely cure you Apathy. If she can draw out your healing she can keep you under her thumb for longer."

Cara was silent for a minute, pressing her lips together in a tight line "Why… are you telling me this Envy?"

Envy shrugged "It won't change anything. You still won't leave will you?"

"Don't act like I'm a puppet like you Envy" Cara growled.

Envy moved faster than she could react. He seized her wrist and twisted it painfully behind her back before slamming her up against the tree.

"I. Am not. A puppet." Envy hissed in her ear, pressing her cheek against the rough bark. "Get that through your head right now _Apathy_."

Cara hissed and struggled but Envy twisted her arm behind her back further "Let me go!"

"This is a familiar position isn't it?" Envy smirked. "Didn't I get you like this back when you were still posing as a human? Guess I'm still stronger than you huh?"

"Shut up" Cara growled.

"What's that word you hate people calling you?" Envy mused. "Oh that's right" he leaned forward so his lips were right next to her ear "Weak."

"Shut the hell UP!" Cara concentrated on slipping a knife from her boot and lifting it in the air. She stabbed Envy in the back and was able to slip out of his grasp.

"Aren't you a sneaky little _weakling." _Envy growled, pulling the knife from his back. The wound healed a second later.

"I'm not weak" Cara whispered. "I am not weak."

"Do you even believe that yourself?" Envy raised an eyebrow.

Cara said nothing but whirled on her heels and stalked through the forest. She didn't have to answer Envy. She hated him _so _much. Maybe even more than she hated herself.

Chloe sat in her room, arms wrapped around her knees. How could Cara… after everything… work for the homunculi? How could she be that desperate to cure herself? Why did she have to be changed?

It was Envy's fault. That bastard homunculus. He must've done something to change her. There was no other explanation. It was his fault. She had never wanted to kill someone so much in her life. She never had really known what it was like to truly hate someone.

Now she did.

"Chloe" she heard Ed's voice in the doorway. "Are you… never mind. Don't answer that. I know you aren't ok. Is there anything you need?"

"I…" Chloe bit her lip. "Ed… I want to become a state alchemist."

"What?" Ed asked in surprise.

"I've been thinking about it but since Cara was a thief I…" she trailed off. "I want to become one now. Can you help me? Since you are one?"

"I…" Ed still seemed stunned by this request. "I can… I can write a recommendation letter to Mustang to get it approved. We can buy tickets to Central. We'll go after Scar another time."

"I don't want you to be delayed by me." Chloe shook her head.

"Chloe, you're in this with us now" Ed sighed. She felt a hand rest on her shoulder. "You're finding the stone with us. We'll stick with you." He half smiled. "Besides, how are you going to read your study materials?"

Chloe almost smiled "Th-thank you… Edward. I can't tell you how grateful I am."

"Don't worry about it" Ed patted her on the back. "I'll get Al to buy the train tickets."

* * *

**_The poll is open till one more update. I'll reveal results next chapter!_**

**_Envy: The suspence is killing me._**

**_You can't die._**

**_Envy: Oh right._**

**_Cara: Unless I decided to kill you._**

**_Envy: Good luck with that._**

**_Ed: REVIEW!_**


	28. Chapter 27: Rouge Homunculus

**_Sorry it's late. I'm having trouble writing these chapters lately. _**

**_Cara: And she's lazy._**

**_That too._**

**_Chloe: REVIEW!_**

* * *

"I'm surprised she's living up so well to her name" Dante sighed. "I thought maybe the damage she inflicted on herself would affect her emotions as well but I suppose not."

"She's an obnoxious brat" Envy muttered.

"I don't think she thinks too highly of you either Envy." Dante sighed.

Envy rolled his eyes and shrugged.

"Lust and Gluttony located Greed" Dante continued. "He's here in Dublith."

"So have they caught them him yet?" Envy asked.

"No, I told them to hold."

"Why the Hell would you do that?" Envy burst. "Can't you just kill the idiot and get him out of the way."

"I will. But I want to test Apathy again" Dante said simply.

Envy stared "Are you serious?"

"I knew she would get caught quickly." Dante shrugged. "The first job was only to test how tightly we have her wound. Now we test her efficiency. I planned to do this from the start."

It annoyed Envy to know end how Dante always seemed to have everything planned out. It put them on the upper ground but it made him feel like he was being lead around on strings.

"So you're going to put her… up against Greed?" Envy asked slowly.

"Yes. And Wrath will go with her."

Envy resisted the urge to ask why the whiny brat was going with her. Luckily Dante decided to answer anyway.

"He listens to her. I wonder how they work together."

"Fine by me" Envy started to leave but Dante called after him "I want you to keep an eye on her again."

"Don't you have a better use for me that making me babysit the brat and the little cretin?" Envy snapped.

"Not at the present time no" Dante smiled smugly.

"Whatever" Envy sneered and stalked from the room. Lately Dante had been pissing him off more and more. After four hundred years, one would think he'd get used to it.

Cara stared out the window of her room grimly. All she had been thinking about since she had gotten back from Dublith was of the incident in the store. Ed and Al hadn't bothered her as much… well maybe Ed a little bit. But it was Chloe. Chloe looked so… lost. She had gotten angry at Envy. _Extremely _angry. But not at her. She believed it wasn't Cara's fault. Wasn't it? Or was it Envy's? Cara was just fine with blaming everything on Envy but she still knew that this was her fault. Because she was deciding to stay.

"Apathy?" she heard a timid voice ask. "That's your name now… right?"

Cara glanced back to see the kid, Wrath, standing in the doorway shifting from foot to foot. She half smiled "Yeah, that's my name. How you doing kid?"

"Alright" he beamed. "I never knew back on the island that you were a homunculus too. No wonder you didn't want them to hurt me."

"Yeah" Cara shrugged. "How are you with being one?"

"Oh I'm fine. Mommy's been really nice to me" Wrath said, rocking back and forth.

"Mommy?" Cara raised an eyebrow.

"Her name is Sloth" Envy's cool voice said from the doorway. "The kid just has an obsessive attachment to her."

Wrath jumped at backed up behind Cara as the older homunculus entered the room. He cast a smirk in the kid's direction before turning to Cara.

"What do you want?" Cara asked sourly.

"You have another job." Envy replied. "You and the kid. Have heard about our certain problem I like to call Greed?"

"The rouge homunculus?" Cara cocked her head to the side. "Yeah, Lust went to find him didn't she?"

"Right… well she found him" Envy crossed his arms. "And Dante decided to send you out on another test. Wrath is coming with you."

"Cool" Cara stood. This was the kind of thing she could enjoy.

"When?" Wrath asked timidly.

"Right now preferably" Envy said. "Oh yeah, and Apathy?"

"What?"

Envy smirked "I'll be watching you again."

"Screw you" Cara returned.

Envy shrugged and left the room.

"He scares me" Wrath murmured as his footsteps faded.

"Don't worry kid" Cara patted him on the head. "He's not going to do anything to you."

Wrath smiled up at her and that bright, trusting way.

Reminding her of Chloe again.

Ed glanced around outside Izumi's house. She had said Al was out sweeping the porch but he wasn't now. The broom was left on the ground though.

"Al!" he called out. "Al! Where are you?" he looked down at his feet where a match box labeled the Devils nest lay.

"Damn it…" Ed muttered. "If he's kidnapped I swear I'll have to kick some ass when I find him."

"The Devils nest" Cara muttered. "Subtle."

"You think he has henchmen in there?" Wrath asked.

"If they are, they're human and easily dealt with." Cara shrugged. "Another thing, let's not tell him what we are straight off."

"Is that why you brought the gloves?" Wrath asked.

"Yeah." Cara smirked. "I do love a dramatic entrance."

"I want money, women, status, power, I want everything the world has to offer and immortality is topping the list!"

Cara blinked from her place in the vent that over looked the room where the rouge homunculus and his henchmen were holding up shop. Al was there too, unfortunately, meaning she was about to be dragged into another confrontation.

"Greed is really…" Wrath trailed off.

"Greedy?" Cara raised an eyebrow. "Indeed he is. I can already tell I'm going to hate this guy."

"Should we wait?" the younger boy questioned.

Cara shook her head "The longer we wait, the more likely the Fullmetal pipsqueak is going to come and that will just add more trouble to our list."

"So we charge in blindly."

"Of course."

Cara kicked out the vent and landed in a crouch behind Greed and his men. Wrath landed behind her, his normally cute face holding that tough, angry look.

"Hello boys. Sorry to crash your party." She smirked straightening.

"Cara!" Al burst out. "What are _you _doing here?"

"Don't worry, I has nothing to do with you" Cara said coolly. "By the way, how did you get kidnapped… again?"

"You've been kidnapped too!" Al said defensively.

"Yes, but let's compare the situations here Al" Cara sighed. "One of us is in a hollow, unfeeling suit of armor and should be incredibly strong; the other of us is in a fleshy body that can experience pain… enormous bouts of _agonizing _pain. See where I'm going with this?"

"Exactly why I want the secret to your immortality Al" Greed smirked at the fact that he had tied this all together before turning to glare at Cara "Now who the Hell are you two? You're not friends of the tin can are you?"

"They're _not _my friends" Al stated bitterly.

"Yeah, as he says" Cara shrugged, ignoring his accusing tone. "Actually, we're here to see you."

"About what?" Greed frowned.

"You're a loose end that needs tying up" Cara crossed her arms. "And the best way to tie it up is for you to… you know… die."

"Just who the Hell do you think you are?" Greed growled.

"My name is Apathy. This is Wrath." Cara held out her hand and let a blade levitate from her belt and into her hand.

"You're the new homunculi then" Greed's eyes narrowed. "Guess they got a surplus didn't they?" he looked at Cara, quizzically. "Hey red head, why do you still have gold eyes?"

"Like I know." Cara shrugged. "It doesn't really matter does it? I just feel like beating the crap out of you because I'm quick to judge and already hate you."

"Heh, sorry kid but do you really think you can make it past my ultimate shield. You see nothing can penetrate-" he cut off as Cara sent a knife flying through the air and scored a hit right between his eyes. She could aim a lot better with her convenient power.

"I can when you're too busy to talking to put it up" she said flatly.

"You little bitch" Greed growled, pulling the knife from his forehead.

One of the henchman, a blonde guy with a knife in his hand, charged Cara. She moved her head to the side as the knife went soaring past her cheek before slipping it from his hand and stabbing him in the back without so much as blinking.

"Y-you…" the henchman with a sword growled. He looked like he was about to charge but Greed stuck out his arm to stop him.

"You're a quick little brat aren't you?" Greed growled. "But this isn't going to get us anywhere. The fact is, neither of us can die."

Cara could die, she knew, but she wasn't about to tell him that. Instead she smirked "Really" she reached down and pulled a small bone from her boot, waving it between her fingers. "Then what's this?"

"You… where did you get that?" Greed growled, suddenly sweating.

"You know who we work for idiot" Cara rolled her eyes. "You don't think she kept these, just in case?"

The man with the sword drew it from its sheath and sliced it through the chains on Al's arms and legs. "Make sure Marta's safe." Then he and a guy with a huge hammer stepped in front of Greed. The other henchmen in the room followed suit. "Bido, you go with Greed too."

"Huh?" a weird guy with a tail asked in surprise.

"You're useless in a fight" the guy with the hammer smirked.

"I… Ok…" Bido scurried over to Greed's side.

"Damn it… this is my problem" Greed growled.

"It's ours now" the man with the sword snapped. "Just make sure we're avenged."

Greed was indecisive for a moment before he ordered Al and Bido to follow him. Al did immediately. Maybe he just didn't want to see what was coming.

"How'd that bastard pick up such loyal Pons?" Cara sighed.

"Because when the military turned us into Chimeras and left us to rot he was the one who got us out of the cages." Sword guy growled. "We owe him everything."

"Huh" Cara replied.

"I hate to do this. But if you threaten Greed we have no choice" hammer guy raised his hammer. Horns began to sprout from his forehead.

"No offence taken" Cara shrugged. "What are your names?"

"I'm Dorechet." The sword guy said. "That's Roa."

The other henchmen didn't say their names. Just glared at Cara and Wrath with vicious determination.

There was a split second of tension before all the henchmen charged at once. Wrath was in front of Cara in a second, sinking his hand into the ground and sending stone spikes everywhere. The few that managed to survive that, were left to Cara. Dorechet swung a few times at her with his sword, attempts that she dodged each time before pulling the sword from his grip with her mind and stabbing it through his gut.

With a yell, Roa swung his hammer at her head. She glared at the weapon and it stopped inches from her.

"I control metal remember" she said simply. "Nice fighting you" then she stabbed Dorechet sword through Roa. He was the last of the henchmen.

The room was wrecked by Wrath's alchemy and there was a stench of blood in the air. Cara secured her knives in her belt and sighed "Well great, now we have to find Greed again."

"Well what do you know about that?" a smooth voice sighed.

Cara and Wrath whirled to see a man with black hair pulled back into a ponytail and crazy gold eyes. "I was planning on selling them out and you do half of my work for me. Where's Greed?"

"Gone, who the hell are you?" Cara's eyes narrowed.

"You can call me the Crimson Alchemist." The man smirked. "Well, I guess this place isn't even needed anymore. With all these bodies in the room" he clapped his hands together and set them to one of the corpses before pulling up "You have about thirty seconds to get out alive." Then he darted from the room.

"Apathy" Wrath grabbed Cara's wrist and pulled her away from the room at a run. "Hurry! This place is going to explode!"

"Shit" Cara picked up the pace through the building. Wrath pushed her out of a window before scurrying out after her. They barely managed to make it two feet before the building exploded. The force threw them forward several yards before Cara smacked into a wall and sank to the ground, coughing violently.

"Way to almost get yourself killed again." A familiar and unwelcome voice sighed from above her.

"Envy" Cara growled, glaring up at the homunculus who was kneeling just over her. "Shut up."

Envy smirked and stood to his feet "You missed Greed."

"Yeah, thanks Sherlock, I hadn't noticed" Cara pushed herself up. "We'll get him ok."

"Yeah, you'd better" Envy strode away. "Oh yeah and as bonus points, make him suffer."

"Was he watching the whole time?" Wrath blinked.

"Yes he most certainly was" Cara muttered. "God I hate him."

"Armstrong?" Ed asked in surprise as he neared the burning building "What are you doing here?"

"There was supposed to be an infiltration mission here" Armstrong murmured. "But the building is up in smoke. Someone blew it up before they left."

"No way" Ed ran for the rubble and began digging around. He was relieved to see no bits of metal matching Al's armor but that just meant he had been taken somewhere else. He swore and kicked a bit of charred wood out of the way "Damn it!"

* * *

**_Alright! Poll result time!_**

**_Envy: the suspense is killing me._**

**_It should be. Anyway the winning paring was Cara/Envy._**

**_Cara/Envy Fans: HOORAY!_**

**_Cara/Ed Fans: (Begin drawing guns from jacket)_**

**_Hold it! Since so many people participated I am going to try and put a little bit of Ed/Cara in the story. It just won't be the main one._**

**_Cara/Ed Fans: We are slightly appeased._**

**_Cara: REVIEW!_**


	29. Chapter 28: Soft Heart

**_Ok so its been awhile because of the musical and then I had writers block. Really this story is coming very slowly for me right now as far as how I'm going to piece it all together. i know certain scenes i want but I'm bad about transitions. I'm working on it though._**

**_Cara: Especially since this is kind of the depressing arc of the story._**

**_Chloe: Plus the author is going to have to start building on the romance._**

**_Ed: Speaking of which, we're doing a redo of the pairing poll_**

**_Envy: Because every revier seemed dissapointed._**

**_In other words: EDXCARA FANS! GET YOUR REARS IN GEAR IF YOU WANT IT TO BE A PAIRING AND VOTE DAMNIT!_**

**_Lust: Well said_**

**_Al: REVIEW!_**

* * *

"You said we'd find him again" Wrath murmured. "But… where do we start?"

"I did not think about that" Cara sighed, wishing absently for Chloe's sight… or lack thereof. "Where would a homunculus go when he lost all his henchmen and was being hunted by other homunculi?"

Wrath was silent, shaking his head pensively.

"Hmm… well he might try to destroy is weakness" Cara thought. "And Dante has the rest of that… but you don't think he'd be stupid enough to go there do you?"

"Well, he might want to kill her too." Wrath reasoned.

"Right… " Cara leaned against the wall of the alleyway. She suddenly heard footsteps running towards them and heavy panting. She looked up to see the weird lizard guy, Bido, casting a fearful glance behind his shoulder.

"Hello, solution to our problem" Cara grinned, snatching Bido by the collar of his shirt and slamming him down against the ground. She planted a knee on his chest and pressed a knife to his neck.

"Y-you!" the chimera stuttered, struggling from beneath the red head.

"Me" she smirked. "Where'd your boss run off to lizard boy?"

"I'm not going to tell you that!" he spat in a feeble attempt at bravery.

"I'm thinking you should" Cara said, pressing the blade of her knife harder against Bido's neck. "Or I'll have Wrath cut off your tail."

Wrath placed his hand against the ground and drew a stone blade up around his hand before placing it halfway up Bido's tail.

Bido squeaked and shook his head rapidly "No, no, no, don't do that!"

"Where's Greed?" Cara asked.

"He s-said something about going to the old ladies house. Th-that's all I know!" Bido stammered. "Honestly!"

"That's all we need to know." Cara jumped off of the lizard chimera and motioned for Wrath to follow her. "Come on kid, let's find him."

The two Homunculi darted away leaving Bido shaking with fear.

Ed had looked everywhere for Al, every building he could. But he was nowhere. "Damn it." Ed hissed leaning against the wall of a building and pushing his hair out of his face angrily. "The military is crawling everywhere, Al is kidnapped… what the hell am I supposed to do?"

"Come on kid, let's find him" he heard an all too familiar voice say. Across the street he saw a flash of red hair as Cara… or Apathy, emerged from the alleyway, followed by teacher's psycho kid. They hurried down the street and around the corner.

"Did they take him?" Ed's eyes narrowed. "Only one way to find out." He took off in pursuit of the homunculi.

"We're here" Cara skidded to a stop just outside Dante's house. She heard yelling from inside.

"Who the Hell are you? You're just a freaking kid… unless…"

That was Greed's voice.

There was a sudden bright flash of blue that illuminated the room.

"Alchemy… what's the old lady up to?" Cara cocked her head to the side. She heard the snap of a twig behind her and turned, only to be tackled to the ground.

A second later she was on her back, a familiar blade pressed against her neck. Ed was above her, his gold eyes fierce with anger "Where is my brother?"

Cara smirked up at him "Nice sneak attack pipsqueak. Didn't even hear you coming."

"Shut up" Ed hissed.

"Let her go!" Wrath snapped, starting to move towards him but Ed glared at the younger homunculus and pressed the blade harder to Cara's neck.

"Back off! I know she isn't completely cured of her attacks yet! She can still die!"

Wrath stopped in his tracks, glaring at Ed hatefully.

Cara raised an eyebrow as Ed looked back to her "Really? Are you going to kill me? Do you have the guts to kill me?"

"I think I can find them" Ed growled. "After what you did to Chloe."

Cara ignored the comment "What do you want Edward?"

"Don't play dumb! I want to know where my brother is! You took him didn't you?" Ed yelled.

"No" Cara replied honestly. "No, we didn't."

"How do I know that I can trust you?"

"You don't."

There was a tense silence before Cara sighed "Though if you really want to know, the guy who took him is in that house. His name is Greed."

"So it was one of you." Ed's eyes narrowed.

"No. He's a rouge. Some of the others have bitter feelings towards him." Cara said.

Ed studied Cara for a long time before he withdrew his blade and stood to his feet.

"Not going to kill me pipsqueak?" Cara smirked.

"I should" Ed muttered. "I really should." Then he ran for the front door of the house.

"Can I kill him yet?" Wrath asked.

"No" Cara shook her head. "I don't think you're allowed to."

"Why didn't he kill you Apathy?" Wrath asked.

Cara sighed "Because even though he hates me, he's a soft heart. I don't think he's ever taken a life intentionally."

"Are we still going to get Greed?"

"Yeah, I'm not letting pipsqueak do all the work."Cara looked down at Wrath. "You stay out here kid. Make sure no one else comes."

"You sure?" Wrath asked.

Cara nodded "Positive. I'll be fine."

"What have you done with Al?" Ed was yelling.

"You're the older brother huh?" Greed asked, an amused look playing over his face. "Somehow I expected you to be a little bit… taller."

"Shut up you bastard!" Ed snapped. "Tell me where he is!"

"You want him back? Then come on" Greed gestured with his hand. "Though I've got to warn you, I don't bruise very easily."

"We'll see" Ed clapped his hands together and transmuted his arm into a blade.

"Won't take him to long to realize that it's useless." Cara muttered under her breath. She smirked "But I quite frankly want to see how this plays out."

Ed charged Greed and tried to bring his blade down on his head. Greed blocked it with his shielded arm.

"What the Hell?" Ed gasped, flipping back away from Greed.

"I told you I don't bruise easily" Greed grinned. "I have the ultimate shield. You can't possibly hope to get past it when I-"

Cara had unsheathed a knife at this point and thrown it at the male homunculus, hitting him squarely in the uncovered shoulder.

"Yeah, unless you talk before you shield up" Cara smirked stepping from behind the stairs.

"You" Greed hissed, yanking the knife from his shoulder.

"What are you doing here?" Ed demanded.

"Yeah, I forgot to mention that this guy is our job." Cara drew another knife from her belt. "He's a liability."

"Red headed bitch" Greed muttered.

"Cocky bastard" Cara retorted.

Greed's shield was beginning to come up, coating his full body "You want me to cut the chatter? Fine." The shield now completely encased his body in an unbreakable shield. "Let's see you get past it now."

He charged Cara this time who flipped out of the way of his attack, landing in a crouch and skidding back a few feet. "Crap… didn't think about that."

"How do you get his shield down?" Ed asked as she dodged.

"You don't!" Cara yelled. "He's not going to take it down for anything."

"There has to be some way to get through it." Ed growled.

Greed's fist knocked into the wall as Cara ducked it, driving a crater into the woodwork. He laughed "Not a chance. Nothing breaks through this shield."

"Well I'll find some way!" Ed charged Greed and Punched upwards into his jaw. Pieces of his auto mail hand flew off, leaving the metal a little worse of wears.

"You still don't realize what you're dealing with, do you kid?" Greed asked, throwing Ed into a table. "If you really want to beat me then you better be prepared to kill! Do you think you can handle that _kid_?"

Ed brought himself to his feet and flexed his broken auto mail "Remind me to thank my mechanic. It's smashed up but it still works just fine."

Cara's eyes narrowed. Ed had a change in attitude. It seemed like he'd realized something.

"Let's go!" Ed charged Greed again and the fight renewed with increased vigor. Greed seized Ed by the collar and Ed clapped his hands together, placing them on Greed's wrist. Greed threw him to the ground and observed his hand before laughing.

"Your alchemy is worth nothing against my shield." Greed approached Ed on the ground. "Now it's my turn."

Ed raised his head as Greed raised his fist and clapped his hands together, drawing spikes from the knuckles on his hand and punching up to meet Greed's punch halfway. Greed staggered back as his shield peeled away, revealing muscle beneath.

"He did it!" Cara's eyes widened surprise. "How the heck did he do that?"

"What did you do to my shield you little bastard?" Greed demanded.

"Homunculi have roughly the same body structure as humans, elementally anyway." Ed explained. "And there's one key element that makes the human body harder: Carbon. Carbon can be hardened or softened by alchemy. There are no unexplainable circumstances. Everything can be explained by science. I can alter the structure of your shield because it's made up of Carbon. Carbon makes the difference between a diamond and pencil lead."

Cara sighed and crossed her arms "Ugh, it's an alchemy thing? That sucks. I can't do alchemy… and I don't care enough to try and understand it either."

"Now that I know, this shouldn't take too long" Ed charged Greed again. It didn't take long for him to destroy another patch of shield on Greed's side and open up another wound. Greed staggered back, his breathing a bit labored.

"Where is Al?" Ed demanded.

"Why would I tell you when I haven't lost?" Greed straightened, repairing his shield on his side.

"Don't kid yourself. It's over now that I know your weak point." Ed shook his head.

"Your brother would tell you, I'm not so easy to kill" Greed gestured at Ed to come at him. "Let's start."

"Let's finish!" Ed charged Greed. He stabbed at the homunculus who leapt away and landed across the room before catapulting himself back towards Ed. Ed flipped away from his grasp, clapped his hands together and pressed them against Greed's torso before spinning and stabbing him, right through the chest.

Greed groaned as Ed pulled the blade out and his shield melted away "Nice. Shot. Kid." He crumpled to the ground.

"He… killed him" Cara breathed. "He's actually killed him."

"What?" Ed stared at Cara. "N-No. He's a homunculus. He can't die right?"

Cara shook her head "I don't…"

"Where's Al?" Ed asked Greed, kneeling down by him.

"Back in the woods. I let him go" Greed coughed.

"But I thought…" Ed's eyes widened.

"We homunculi" Greed muttered. "Are born when a human transmutation is attempted and because of that we grow weak when we are near the remains of the person that was meant to be brought back. I weakens us."

"Why are you telling me this?" Ed asked.

"So you can beat them." Greed murmured.

"But you're… one of…" Ed said in surprise.

"He's not." I walked towards the two. "It's hard for the greedy to be part of a group and not have the power am I right?"

"Yes I'm greedy as hell. She always said it would be the death of me." Greed half laughed before coughing up blood. "You know red head, you don't seem like one who could belong to a group either. The Apathetic care about nothing, especially loyalty."

Cara turned her eyes to the window "That's true." She felt Ed's eyes glaring at her and she ignored them.

"You have to beat them if no one else can." Greed coughed at Ed. "I'm counting… on you kid."

Silence.

"H-hey Greed. Come on. I can't kill you." Ed murmured. Cara closed her eyes. Yeah, Ed was a soft heart. "Greed!" Ed gripped his hair in his hands "Augh!"

Cara looked at him for a second where he knelt on the ground before she began to walk away "I'd harden yourself to this Edward. Next time I'm here I might be your opponent."

The sun was beginning to come up as Cara walked out onto the lawn where Wrath was sitting against a tree. He stood to meet her.

"Is it over Apathy?"

"Yes, Greed is dead." Cara nodded.

"Fullmetal seems to be torn up" Cara whirled at Envy's voice. He was leaning against a tree, observing Ed's break down through the window. "I would be annoyed that you didn't kill him yourself but I like seeing him suffer."

"What do you want?" Cara muttered.

Envy looked at her and smirked "We're going to central. That is where Dante has headed. We have a place there. Lust and Gluttony are already there."

"Fine." Cara nodded, casting a glance back at Ed. "Is it too much to ask what we're planning here."

"Yes" Envy crossed his arms. "Just follow blindly for now Apathy. You'll do whatever we need for the stones."

Cara glared at him and tossed a knife his direction, it hit the tree right by his head. He glanced at it "You missed."

"Shut up, bastard." Cara stalked past him. "Are we going or what?"

"Chloe we're back!" Chloe raised her head as Al's voice echoed through the house. The brothers entered through the door, Ed looking exhausted.

"Where have you been!" Izumi threw a butcher knife in their direction. Ed froze as it landed right over his head, embedding itself in the wall. "I've been worried sick!"

"W-We're sorry teacher!"

"Don't call me that" Izumi crossed her arms. "I expelled you as you know."

"Right" Ed sighed. "But teacher we need to talk to you. About the philosophers stone. We came here to ask you about another way."

"I cannot help you with that." Izumi turned her gaze out the window. "I had a teacher who studied the concept herself, Dante. But she does not believe in people or the world. I could not accept her teachings." She turned back to them. "Are you planning to leave?"

"We have to" Ed nodded. "You know, the state alchemist exam is coming up" he glanced at Chloe. "And she wants to take it."

Chloe raised her head a bit "You're going to help me?"

"Of course we are" Al laughed. "Brother needs to take his retest anyhow. We'll talk to Mustang for you and recommend you."

"Thank you. Both of you" Chloe managed a smile.

"I plan on going back to Risenbol" Winry sighed. "As long as you guys are safe in Central I feel better."

"Good luck" Izumi nodded. "To both of you."

"We will meet again" Ed promised.

Izumi nodded in a silent promise.

"I'll get my things." Chloe excused herself from the room, glad she could get away from this place where Apathy had been born.

* * *

**_Ugh...I swear of all the fandoms I have ever written: Envy is the hardest character to write. Even worse than that is writing the relationship with him in Cara. It's very different then the relationship between him and Liz and even that one is hard!_**

**_Envy: I'm glad I am causing you misery_**

**_Oh screw you... Not to mention Cara is a hard character to write right now. I'm having a hard time not making her a total bitch._**

**_Cara: I am a bitch right now. I'm Apathy._**

**_But you're still the main character so I have to draw some empathy!_**

**_Lust: They'll find out that Hughes is dead soon anyway._**

**_Cara, Chloe, Al and Ed: What?_**

**_Envy: Nothing! Go away!_**

**_Wrath: REVIEW!_**


	30. Chapter 29: Set in Stone

**_Ok! Enjoy this next chapter!_**

**_Cara: Oh and here's a surprise:_**

**_Chloe: It's depressing._**

**_Ed: What a shock!_**

**_Shutup and stop complaning._**

**_Al: Yes ma'am..._**

**_Envy: REVIEW!_**

Ed was intent on keeping his promise to Chloe. Maybe it was because he just felt so bad for her. Every time he saw her face, forced in a cheerful expression, he wanted to find Cara and hit her. Something told him he would have plenty of time to do that later. The homunculi would be back to bother them, he was sure of that.

While Chloe and Al checked into the hotel, he went to visit Mustang. He knew that it would be difficult to get Chloe to take the exam, what with her not being able to read, and the fact that she was blind itself was going to make it difficult for her to join the military. But she could overcome her blindness. He just had to prove that to Mustang.

Mustang greeted him with the usual pompous smirk "Hello Ed. Any luck at your teachers house?"

"No" Ed frowned. "I… heard about your transfer from Armstrong."

"Yes that's right, he went to Dublith" Mustang nodded. "I have to say I'm surprised that you requested to see me Ed. You usually try to avoid me every chance that you can."

"With good reason" Ed muttered. "But this is for a friend."

"A friend?" Mustang raised an eyebrow. "The thief?"

Ed gritted his teeth "No… the alchemist who…" he paused. "_was _her friend."

"Go on."

"She wants to become a state alchemist." Ed said. "And she is plenty skilled enough."

"S what's the problem?" Mustang asked.

"She's blind, sir."

Mustang blinked "Edward, how do you expect someone who is blind to join the military."

"Because she can move just as easily as you and me" Ed exclaimed. "She just sees differently. She uses alchemy to see. In some ways she can see better than us. She can detect metal that isn't visible because of the vibrations. She knew Al was hollow and I had auto mail as soon as she met us!" He lowered his voice. "She's gifted sir, and she can pass any physical test just fine. She could even hide the fact that she was blind. We didn't find out for awhile. The only problem is the written exam. She can't read with alchemy."

Mustang placed a chin on his hand, thoughtfully "You think highly of her."

"She's helped us on numerous occasions" Ed explained. "And right now… well… she needs this."

"So what about the thief you travel with? Is she an alchemist?" Mustang asked.

Ed clenched his fists "We don't travel with _her _anymore."

Mustang cocked his head to the side "I admit that I didn't know about your companions at all until recently when… Hughes mentioned it over the phone. But I'd like you to explain the situation."

Ed opened his mouth to protest, before sighing and taking a seat across from the desk. She explained the events that led up to Cara's transformation into Apathy and her decision to go against them even after everything that happened. When he finished Mustang was staring at him, intrigued.

"So this is why you want to help the blind girl" he murmured. "Because you feel sorry for her."

"Not just that!" Ed protested. "She's good Colonel! _Really _good."

"Bring her here." Mustang said. "I want to see her for myself."

* * *

Thirty minutes later Ed had brought Chloe back to Mustang's office. She knew that she had to prove that she could act as if she was not blind. Mustang would probably try something, a movement, and see if she could detect it.

"So you're Chloe" Mustang said, his voice laced with a mixture of interest and skepticism. "Last name?"

"Brooks" she answered. "Chloe Brooks."

"You are blind."

She narrowed her eyes and narrowed her eyes in the direction she knew Mustang sat "And here I thought I wasn't being obvious."

Mustang chuckled a bit at her hostility "Relax Ms. Brooks. I am only verifying what Edward has told me."

Chloe felt a shift in vibrations as his hand reached for something and picked it up. Something metal. Then she felt his arm shift position. He was about to throw something. Another shift of vibrations and she threw her right hand up and caught the pen.

"You're anxious to test me aren't you?" Chloe smirked, tossing the pen back to Mustang.

"Well then" Mustang sounded like he was smirking. She knew well when people were smirking. That was almost all Cara did. "Edward wasn't lying."

"Of course I wasn't!" Edward snapped.

"Calm down" Mustang told him. "This will be difficult Ms. Brooks. You could fake sight except for the fact that you can't read or write."

"Yeah, that's the problem isn't it?" Chloe smiled bitterly. "Ink doesn't provide quite enough vibrations for me to feel it out."

"I'll see what I can do" Mustang sighed.

"Thank you sir" Chloe raised from her chair, bowed her head, and strode from the room.

"I can see the effects you were talking about" Mustang said.

"Yeah" Ed murmured.

Chloe closed her eyes "Effects?" she whispered and rubbed a hand over her face. "Yeah, that's one way to put it"

* * *

"Well this place doesn't lack space" Cara commented as she plopped down on the bed in the room she claimed for herself. They were all the same color: Purple. She hated purple but she didn't have much choice.

Lust smirked "No, it certainly doesn't."

Of course it didn't. It was a freaking underground city.

"How did things go with Greed?" Lust asked.

"He's dead" Cara said. "But… it was Edward who killed him. The only way to break through his shield was with alchemy."

"Then that wasn't your fault was it?" Lust asked.

"No" Cara shook her head. "So where were you and Gluttony?"

"I had to… take care of a loose end." She murmured, her eyes suddenly glazing with emotion that Cara couldn't read. Seeming anxious to change the subject Lust drew a something from behind her back. "It's your things. I took them before we left while you were chasing Greed. I thought you would still want them."

"Thanks." Cara took the black bundle from her. It was her jacket and her extra knives. As she shifted the jacket in her arms, a familiar wooden box fell from the pocket. The music box. She sighed and picked it up, turning it a few times in her hand.

"Where did you get that music box?" Lust asked. "I've been wondering."

"Back when I thought I was human, a man in the military that I came to like gave it to me." She shrugged. "A silly little token really… but… he wasn't bad for a human."

"What… was his name?" Lust's voice sounded strange, like she was forcing it to show no emotion.

"Hughes. Lieutenant Colonel Maes Hughes." Cara flicked the box open and began to listen to the music play again. The smallest of smiles past over her lips.

"Apathy" Lust said slowly.

"Yeah?" Cara asked, not looking up from the music box.

Lust didn't say anything for awhile. Nothing but the soft sound of music filled the room. Lust finally continued "Apathy… Maes Hughes is dead."

The melody faded into dead silence just before it slipped from Cara's fingers and fell to the floor.

* * *

_"I don't feel a thing_

_And I stopped remembering_

_The days are just like moments turned to hours"_

* * *

"Can we visit Hughes?" Chloe asked later that day in the hotel room. "I'd like to see him."

"Yeah" Al agreed. "We can tell him what we've found." He paused. "I hope he hasn't tried to dig around anymore like we've warned him not to."

Ed nodded in agreement "Alright. He should be off work by now. Let's stop by and visit him."

Hughes's house wasn't far from their hotel room so it didn't take long to walk there. Chloe knocked on the door. It was Elicia who answered.

"Daddy?" she asked, looking excited. When she saw it was Chloe and the brothers she frowned, her lip trembling a tad. Then she hugged Chloe.

Chloe was confused but she patted the girl on the head anyway "H-hey Elicia. What's the matter?"

Gracia came to the door and smiled sadly. Ed felt a cold feeling in his stomach.

"Ms. Gracia. Where… is Hughes?"

* * *

_"Mother used to say_

_If you want you'll find away_

_But mother never danced through fires shower"_

_

* * *

_

"You're lying" Cara murmured. "You're thinking of someone else."

"No, I'm not" Lust shook her head.

Cara shook her head fiercely "No, he wouldn't just die."

"He is dead Apathy."

"Liar!" Cara's shaking hands clenched into fists. "How do you know that-" she dropped of suddenly and looked at Lust who was staring blankly at the floor. "Did you kill him?"

"I was meant to but I missed him. I was not the one who killed him." She said.

There was a pause before Cara hissed "Who was it?"

"I think you know the answer." Lust met her eyes in a dead stare.

Cara stood to her feet, glared at Lust for a few seconds before stalking out of the room to find Envy.

* * *

_"I walk in the rain_

_In the rain_

_In the rain"_

* * *

Chloe was crying again. She did a lot of crying these days but she had been trying not to do it in front of Ed and Al. She didn't want them to worry about her, which she knew they did anyway. But here she cried openly. She knew Ed was almost crying himself, shaking with the effort of suppressing anger and sadness.

Maes Hughes was dead. He was shot in a telephone booth and there were no hints to who the murderer was. He had apparently been researching something in federal archives when someone had attacked him. He had been looking at something he shouldn't of. Something that had to do with the homunculi.

It had to be a homunculus who killed him. Chloe bet it was that bastard Envy. The same one who had been doing everything to ruin her life lately. She truly never thought she hated anyone this much.

But then again, what if it was Cara? No it had happened right after they left for Dublith. And Cara wouldn't do that. She liked Hughes. And that was a big enough deal, Cara liking authority figures or adults. But… would Apathy care? No. Probably not.

Ed seemed under the firm impression that it was his fault for dragging Hughes into it and he wouldn't stop apologizing to Ms. Gracia. She just shook her head and denied every apology, saying that it wasn't his fault.

"You three can't stop searching" she murmured. "You need to keep trying to reach your goal. Maes would have wanted that."

"I…I know." Ed's voice cracked. "I'm so sorry."

Chloe pressed her lips together, trying to stop another onslaught of tears from pouring down her face.

_I'm sorry. Oh Hughes._

_

* * *

_

_"I don't hear a sound_

_Silent faces in the ground_

_The quiet screams but I refuse to listen"_

* * *

Cara found Envy in the large ballroom in the underground city. He was perched on one of the rafters. He looked up as the doors slammed open and frowned.

"What do you want kid?"

Cara snarled "You killed him!"

Envy smirked casually and leaned forward so as to better see her "I've killed quite a few people little devil. You'll have to be a little more specific."

"Maes Hughes" Cara hissed through gritted teeth. "You killed him."

"Maes Hughes" he repeated. "Ah yes, I remember that one." He leapt down from the rafters, landing in a crouch before straightening. "What's it to you, _Apathy_?"

Cara's fist clenched. A growling noise resounded from the back of her throat but she said nothing.

"Because as far as I know, I didn't think you _cared_." Envy's smirk widened.

"I…" Cara was too angry to force words out. At the same time though, he was right. She wasn't supposed to care.

"I think you need more stones" he said thoughtfully, cocking his head to the side.

"No I _don't _need more stones!" Cara swiped her hand angrily.

"Yes you do" Envy shook his head. "Don't be an idiot. That's all you want, is stones."

Cara growled again and charged Envy. Anger gave her speed and focus and it seemed for a bit like she might manage to inflict damage on him. But as usual he managed to get the upper hand and pin her to the ground.

"Damn it, calm down" he growled, looking annoyed.

Cara stopped struggling and glared up at him "_Why_?"

Envy scoffed "You really think it was a personal motive? He dug a little too deep into our plans. It was an order. You don't really think I care about killing a simple, pitiful human do you? It was a job. If you really want to blame anyone, you can blame the old lady. Though I honestly don't care if you blame me." He rolled his eyes. "And why would you care about one stupid human. You don't seem to care much about that so called friend of yours do you?"

The words stung Cara. Again, he had a point. But she didn't feel like arguing it. "Let me up" she muttered.

Envy released her and smirked "Don't lose your head Apathy."

Cara resisted the urge to send one of her knives flying at the back of his skull. She hated him. He killed Hughes. But then again it meant nothing to him personally. Just another human who was digging to deep. Every ounce of her wanted to blame Envy for it but if anyone was to blame it was Dante.

The person she had to work for.

Gritting her teeth she stalked from the room and towards the surface of Central.

* * *

_"If there is a Hell_

_I'm sure this is how it smells_

_I wish this were a dream but no it isn't"_

* * *

Ed didn't go back to the hotel. He just couldn't sit in a devastated silence again. He wanted crowds and noise to distract him. This was just what they needed. Another tragedy. Another thing gone wrong, another person to die helping them. Why did it have to be Hughes?

* * *

It had happened right after they left. Right after they left in hopes of keeping him out of it. He remembered Cara being fond of him but she probably wouldn't care now. That was what apathy was.

He wasn't sure how he came to pass the cemetery. As soon as he became aware of the hedge stones he wondered if Hughes was one of them. Part of him didn't want to see it. That would finalize the death to much, just like after the funeral for his mother. Once you're in the ground, you really are dead.

Still, his feet carried him forward unconsciously.

As he wandered through the stones he caught sight of someone towards the end of the cemetery, standing before a grave. Someone whose face was hidden by a curtain of red hair, whipping about in the wind.

Ed started running forward, wanting to kick Cara and tell her what had happened. What the creatures she worked for, and was, had done. "Hey!"

Cara looked up, her face expressionless, her gold eyes showing no readable expression. Then she turned and walked swiftly away as if he wasn't even there.

"Get back here!" Ed snapped, stopping in front of the grave she had been standing by, but Cara had long disappeared. Ed growled and turned his head to look at the hedge stone. When he saw the name, it felt like he had been hit in the stomach.

_Maes Hughes_

Now it was finalized. He really was dead.

Ed looked back up in the direction Cara had disappeared. Why had she been at the cemetery?

His silent question got no more answer than another cool gust of wind and a sad trill of a song bird.

* * *

_"I walk in the rain,_

_In the rain_

_In the rain"_

* * *

Cara walked back into her room, her face an emotionless mask. Hughes really was dead. Really dead. Gone. She would never see the man again. Not that she should. She shouldn't care. She shouldn't!

Cara gripped her hair with her hands "Damn it!"

Her foot kicked something as she stepped forward. She saw the music box skitter across the floor a few feet before coming to a stop, it's top open. The music filled the room, it's pretty melody sounding like a funeral march. Cara picked up the box. Her eyes turned towards the desk where she saw a small pile of red stones.

She stared at the red objects for a minute before grabbing them and dumping them all in her mouth. Then she snapped the box close and shoved it in the desk drawer, locking away the melody from her ears.

* * *

_"I walk in the rain, in the rain_

_Is it right or is it wrong?_

_And is it here that I belong?" -Rain, Yoko Kanno_

**_So that was my first song fic chapter. I thought it suited the depressing mood and I absolutely love the song._**

**_Cara: You'll see her do more of this in the future._**

**_Chloe: Keep voting on the pairing poll!_**

**_Here's a hint: They're tied. Run to the ballot box everyone! Kill eachother if you have to!_**

**_EdxCara fans: We'll win this time!_**

**_EnvyxCara fans: IT'S WAR!_**

**_(Epic battle ensues)_**

**_Ed: Think this is being overdramatized?_**

**_Al: Nah_**

**_Envy: The war of readers and fangirls. The deadliest of them all... and most fun to watch._**

**_Lust: Review._**

* * *


	31. Chapter 30: Seeing Stone

**_Sorry it's been awhile. Progress on this story is slow. I'm going to be at my grandmothers for christmas and she doesn't have internet but I'll update as soon as I get back._**

**_Cara: Probably._**

**_Definetly._**

**_Chole: No, probably is more accurate._**

**_You have so much faith in me._**

**_Cara: Of course._**

**_Ed: REVIEW!_**

There's was nothing to do but busy themselves with studying with Hughes dead. Mustang had gone to the higher ups and with some convincing, they agreed to let Chloe take the test as they thought it would be interesting to watch her in the practical's if she advanced.

Ed had been furious that Mustang hadn't told him about Hughes's death and Chloe figured it would be awhile before he could stand the sight of the Colonel's face again.

But now the goal was to get her ready to take the exam. Both Al and Ed drilled her relentlessly on several different topics, things that she didn't even know existed. Her mind became filled with a flood of knowledge instead of a flood of cruel, sad memories. It was a welcome break. She dedicated herself completely too studying, stopping only to sleep and eat and Al and Ed were all too happy to help her. They didn't want to think of the past either.

Their home became the library and the books with in it. It reminded Chloe of when they searched for a way to crack the code to Marcoh's journal.

The day of the written exam finally arrived and it was administered to her orally, separately from the other contenders. She felt alright about it but it seemed like there would always be something that she didn't know about alchemy.

"If you feel like you did ok then you probably passed" Ed half grinned. "I didn't even finish mine and I passed."

"That's good" Chloe nodded. "So if I do make it, what do I do in the interview."

"Say why you want to be a state alchemist" Ed shrugged. "And whatever you do, try to look like you see them. If you stare in their general direction they'll be impressed."

"What did you do?" Chloe asked.

"I said I made a promise to a family member to do this and that I was willing to take the good and bad that came with it" he said. "I obviously couldn't say I wanted to do human transmutation to get our bodies back."

Chloe smiled. But still she knew that it was forced.

* * *

Chloe passed the written exam and Al took her to the exam.

"Don't be nervous" he told her. "You have to appear confident."

"Great" Chloe muttered. "It's a good thing I feel so sure of myself then isn't it?"

"You passed the written exam" Al reminded her. That tells them that you know what you're doing doesn't it?"

"Yeah but one: I'm a kid." Chloe raised a finger. "Two: I'm a girl and I'm pretty sure there haven't been any girl state alchemists and three" she tapped her chin. "Huh, what was that other disability that might hinder me or cause skepticism? I can't think of it."

Al chuckled and shook his head "You'll do fine Chloe. I know you will."

Chloe gave a small smile "Thanks Al." she turned towards the doors that lead into the room where she was to be interviewed. "Well, here I go."

"Good luck." Al called after her.

* * *

Chloe felt out the room. It was empty save for the long desk that sat the higher-ups, seven of them. The one in the middle of them had a high concentration of vibrations, much higher than the others. She felt the metal of long, sharp blades, but also something else.

In the center of the room was a peculiar feeling chair. It only seemed to have three legs. It would be difficult to sit on.

"Can she really sit on the chair without seeing it?" she heard one of the men's voices chuckle.

She set her face in a defiant glare and walked swiftly over to the chair, taking a seat and balancing herself so that it did not tip. Ed had told her about the chair. She knew what to do.

"Very good." it was the man in the middle who spoke. She recognized the voice. It was the voice of the Fuhrer.

"Tell us Ms. Brooks" the Fuhrer continued. "Why is it that you want to be a state alchemist?"

"Because…" Chloe's mind was blank for only a moment before she looked up, in the direction she knew the Fuhrer sat. "Because I made a promise to myself that I would find a way fix my vision, and I promised a friend that I wasn't going to give up on it. That I would always press forward no matter what happened to her." She bit her lip. "And now that she isn't with me I can't very well stand down. So I'll take on what I need to do in the military. I'll take the good and the bad things. And I'll be of much more use to the Elrics with a certification, and I promised that I would help them too." She took a deep breath before she finished "I couldn't stand it if I broke my promises."

Words played in her head _'Three conditions. Don't trust me, don't hold me back, don't rely o n me.'_

_'You really broke those promises didn't you kid?'_

_'No more Cara" _Chloe thought. _'I won't let myself be held back anymore by anything. I've learned that.'_

* * *

"Now all that's left is the practical's" Ed said, clapping Chloe on the shoulder.

"Do you know what you're going to do?" Al asked, curiously. "I remember brother didn't. He got lucky that circumstances gave him a chance to show off his skills."

"Shut up." Ed said, not really angry.

"Yes I know what I'm going to do." Chloe nodded. "The best part of my alchemy is the part that lets me see. That itself is amazing. I know exactly what to do to demonstrate that."

"Lucky" Ed muttered. "You have something that can be easily demonstrated. I didn't."

Chloe shrugged and fingered the transmutation circle at the bottom of her shoe. The transmutation circles that were her eyes.

* * *

The alchemy of Chloe's Rivals was impressive. They did everything with ice and water and plants. It was all different styles. The arena had a ready supply of just about everything but Chloe's concentration was on the mountain of rock standing in one corner. That was her material. That and the ground. But she didn't just want to mold rocks.

When it reached her turn, she stepped forward, pulling on her gloves. She turned to face the direction where the military officials and competitors were clustered. "No point in beating around the bush" she called. "But I am blind. If you don't mind, will five people, relatively experienced in fighting step forward?"

There was a series of vibrations as some people mumbled and stepped forward.

Chloe smiled and closed her eyes "Thats four people."

A fifth person stepped forward and she raised her eyebrows "Fuhrer kind Bradley?"

"Sir!" some of the other military people sounded reproachful. "You shouldn't-"

"I don't believe that Ms. Brooks will harm me" the Fuhrer said in a friendly, calm voice. "I merely am curious to see this."

"Thank you sir" Chloe bowed her head respectively before beginning to feel out the people. "From what I can detect, between the five of you, you carry seven guns, four knives, and two swords which I see belong to the Fuhrer." She opened her eyes. "See, metal gives out more distinct vibrations for me to detect."

She bent her knees slightly "If you're confident in your fighting abilities, please come at me. One at a time, two at a time, or all it once, I don't mind. But let's try not to kill anyone. That would be a downer."

There were some skeptical sniggers but Chloe's face remained unchanged. There was a long pause before she felt two of the men on either side of her, tense and start to bend. Chloe smiled as they both lunged forward at the same time. She slammed her foot against the ground sending a stone pillar diagonally from the ground under her feet, launching her back several yards. The charging men ran into the pillar and fell down, probably dazed. Chloe rose from where she landed in a crouch on the ground and beckoned them forward with her hand.

She never got great enjoyment out of fighting but now, since everyone knew she was blind, she wanted nothing more than to prove to people that she could be strong. That was a bit of Cara that had worn off on her. Cara always wanted to appear strong. There was a lot of Cara that had work off on her through their comradeship.

The next guy charged Chloe. This time she let him reach her. He raised back his fist to punch and she ducked away from it. He tried again, and yet again but she continued to dodge. Then he kicked out at her and managed to knock her off her feet. Chloe grinned and slammed her hand against the ground. A stone fist came up and knocked him back into the ice mountain.

The fourth man charged now and she imprisoned him in a cube of rock before he got to her.

"Interesting" she heard the Fuhrer say as Chloe released the startled man from the rocky prison. She heard the clink as he drew his swords. "I guess it's my turn."

Chloe nodded. No doubt the Fuhrer was a gifted fighter if he was able to rise to the top of the military. He would be difficult. But if she could just last long enough against him…

The Fuhrer shot forward, barely giving her enough time to dodge him and use a pillar of rock to propel her a safe distance away. But he was fast, not giving her enough time to launch a decent attack. She didn't want to really attack him either. He was the Fuhrer. She could get arrested.

Chloe panted and angled herself towards the mountain of rock. As she dodged another attack from the Fuhrer she jumped towards the rock, pressing her hand against it as she did. A series of rock projectiles flew his way. He dodged them all. God he was fast. The fight last for about five more minutes before Chloe lost her footing and fell. She felt the Fuhrer point his swords at her exposed neck. There was a silent pause before the Fuhrer straightened and sheathed his blades.

"Quite impressive Ms. Brooks." He turned and walked back to his flustered escorts. "I do think we found our new state alchemist."

Chloe grinned and stood shakily to her feet, feeling the first real happiness she had since Cara had been with them.

Who wanted to criticize her blindness now?

* * *

"Congratulations Chloe" Mustang said, later in his office, dangling something round and metal between his fingers. Chloe figured it was the state alchemist watch. "You're a dog of the military now."

"You don't have to sound so excited" Chloe sighed.

Mustang tossed the alchemist watch her way and she caught it in her right hand.

"Thank you sir" Chloe nodded.

"You're now under my charge and you will report to me, following missions I assign." He said. "I know you want to help Ed and Al in their journey but I want to see how you operate on your own first, I'm sure you understand."

"How long?" Chloe asked suspiciously.

"A month, maybe two. Not long." Mustang waved his hand.

"I'm in debt to them for helping me thus far" Chloe reminded him. "I must repay my debts."

"Judging on their rate of progress I doubt they will find the stone before you return to them" a smirk touched Mustang's face. "There is actually a few things that need cleaning up in the East. I will send you there."

Chloe opened her mouth to protest but then closed it and nodded "I understand. I'm sure they'll be just fine without me for a month or two."

"Good" Mustang leaned back in his chair. "Oh and I almost forgot, your state title."

"State title?" Chloe questioned.

"Yes" Mustang nodded. "Ed is the Fullmetal alchemist. I am the Flame alchemist. And you…" Mustang paused. "Are the Seeing Stone Alchemist."

Chloe grinned broadly "Catchy."

"I thought was ironic myself." Mustang nodded.

"Chloe Brooks, the Seeing Stone Alchemist" Chloe said slowly, rolling the words around on her tongue. "I like it."

* * *

"The Seeing Stone Alchemist?" Dante smirked in amusement. "This is almost too convenient. She doesn't even know the control this gives us over her."

"Indeed" Pride nodded. "She's gifted. It's quite amazing the way she can sense every vibration. She lasted a while against me. Unfortunately I don't know how she does it."

Dante glanced at Envy "What about you? Have you seen what she uses?"

"I haven't actually seen her fight" Envy shook his head. "But she manages to at least look normal until you realize her eyes are never focused."

"She's an excellent tracking device as well."

Envy turned to see Apathy in the door way, arms crossed. "You wanted to see me?"

"Yes" Dante smiled pleasantly. "You have heard that your old friend joined the military as a state alchemist?"

Apathy blinked "No, I wasn't aware." Envy noted that her manner was very stiff and she was avoiding looking at him. Not that he cared. She was still angry about that dumb Maes Hughes incident.

"Well she has." Dante nodded. "She's a fascinating one isn't she? Able to see without eyes."

"Incredible" Apathy muttered. "Cut to the chase. Why did you want to see me?"

"How does her alchemy work?"

Apathy closed her eyes "Sorry, I can't help you. My knowledge of alchemy is zip."

"But you must know where her transmutation circles are." Dante persisted.

Apathy was silent for a moment.

"Careful Apathy" Envy smirked. "You almost look like you're trying to protect the girl."

Apathy glared at him "Shut the hell up _palm tree._"

Envy growled and took a step forward but Dante held up a hand and he stopped. Dante turned back to Apathy. "Well?"

There was a brief pause before Apathy spoke. "Her shoes. The transmutation circles are on her shoes. If she's not on the ground she can't see a thing." Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Why?"

"It does not matter now" Dante smiled lightly.

"Fine" Apathy muttered. "Can I go now?"

"Yes."

The homunculus whipped around and stalked out of the room.

There was silence before Dante said "She's unstable. Give her more red stones."

"Sure" Envy shrugged. "But you can't pretend you didn't expect this."

"Maybe I did, maybe I did not" Dante smiled. "That isn't of concern to you Envy."

"Tch… whatever." Envy turned and left the room.

Dante was growing more and more annoying as time went on. Envy wondered why he hadn't noticed it before.

* * *

**_Chloe's a state alchemist and Dante is plotting something._**

**_Cara: There's a surprise._**

**_Chloe: REVIEW!_**


	32. Chapter 31: Encounter on the Train

**_I don't have time to talk. My brother wants his charger back. ENJOY!_**

"So when are you leaving for the East?" Al asked later in their room.

"Tomorrow afternoon." Chloe sighed. "This'll be interesting, working on my own. Haven't done that for awhile."

There was an awkward pause as they all three avoided each other's eyes at the passive mention of a time when Cara was still with them.

"So where are you guys going to go next?" Chloe said quickly. "To look for the philosopher's stone."

"To find Scar." Ed said. "He knows something about the philosopher's stone. We'll see if we can pick up a lead. But we'll be back in a month to meet up with you. We promise."

"Definitely" Al nodded.

"I'll look forward to it." Chloe smiled.

Al came in later to Chloe's room as she packed her meager possessions.

"You need something Al?" Chloe asked.

"No." He murmured. "I just… you'll be careful in the East won't you?"

"Of course I will" Chloe grinned. "A few bandits won't be a problem."

"You know that's not what I'm afraid of."

Chloe's smile faded. "You mean homunculi."

"Now that you're a state alchemist you could be a resource to them." Al told her. "Like brother is. And… if you run into Apathy-"

"I don't want to talk about her" Chloe muttered.

"Chloe."

"I'll be fine."

"But what if?" Al burst. "You're strong Chloe, I know you are, but can you distinguish from the person who was your friend and the monster she was turned into?"

"I…" Chloe choked on her words. "I… I'm afraid that… Al… I'm afraid that…"

"What?" Chloe felt a metal hand on her shoulder.

Tears fell from Chloe's eyes. "I'm afraid that there isn't one. I'm afraid there isn't a difference."

"Chloe" Al murmured, gently hugging her with his cold metal arms. "Chloe. Cara and Apathy are completely different. But right now you can't reach your friend… our friend. She's hidden somewhere. That's what I believe."

Chloe could say nothing through her tears for a moment before she whispered. "I'll miss you Al… and Ed. I promise I'll be careful."

* * *

"She's going to the East" Dante said. "The 5:00 train this afternoon. You know what to do."

"Yeah." Envy nodded.

"Take Wrath with you."

Envy sighed deeply "Why? You don't think I can handle this on my own?"

"I'm just being careful Envy." Dante said lightly. "Wait until the train is sufficiently away from the big cities and train stops before you act."

"I know." Envy turned to leave.

"And do _not _kill her."

"_I know." _Envy growled. "You've been over this one hundred times already."

Dante smirked "I'm just being careful."

Envy scoffed and stalked from the room.

* * *

"See you in one month!" Ed clapped Chloe on the shoulder. "Show Mustang what you can do."

"Right" Chloe grinned, hefting her bag over her shoulder.

"Be careful Chloe" Al said. "We'll see you."

Chloe smiled at him "Thanks Al. I'll see you."

They hadn't told Ed about Chloe's little break down the previous night. Chloe had made Al swear to pretend it hadn't happened. He agreed, not wanting to make his brother any more worried.

He was sweet. Chloe wondered what he was like with his body.

She hopped on the train as it started to move. "You two better be back in one month!"

"Same to you!" Ed called out over the noise of the train.

"By Chloe!" Al waved.

When the train was out of the station Chloe took her seat near the back of the car, resting her head against the glass and allowing herself to drift. Soon she was asleep.

* * *

Chloe woke to the sound of gunfire. She jolted upright and to her feet immediately, feeling out the situation. There was a man with a gun in the aisle of the train. She heard screams of passengers.

"Everyone out of this car!" she heard a gruff voice order. "And you won't get shot."

'_To do what he says or not to do what he says?' _Chloe mused. She ducked behind her seat and waited for the other frightened passengers to empty out into the next car.

She heard the man with the gun close and lock the door to the car, before she heard a snigger that she knew didn't suit the original voice of the terrorist.

"Thought you'd stay behind little blind girl."

There was a series of amplified vibrations as the last person she wanted to run into, shifted form.

"Envy" she hissed, rising to her feet and stepping into the aisle.

"Brilliant deduction." Envy smirked.

Chloe felt another series of vibrations behind her as someone else who had not left the car, rose from their seat. They too had the vibrations of a homunculus. A homunculus she also recognized.

"Wrath?"

"How can you remember me when you can't see?" Wrath asked with sincere curiosity.

"It's a talent." Chloe muttered.

"Yeah, we'll be able to hear all about that later." Envy said in a bored voice. "Wrath."

Chloe whirled to face the younger homunculus, preparing for an attack. Wrath started to step forward. Chloe felt the vibrations behind her a second to late as Envy shot forward and grabbed her from behind.

Chloe opened her mouth to scream but Envy clamped his hand over her jaw, cutting off the sound. "I don't think so. It's not exactly like anyone could help you anyway."

Chloe's eyes narrowed and she started to lift her foot but Envy slammed his foot down on top of hers. She gasped in pain at the force of the blow.

"Don't even try it." Envy smirked. "Apathy was all too kind to tell us how your alchemy works. You have transmutation circles on the bottoms of these." He tapped her shoe with his foot. "And I don't plan on letting you use them."

"What do you want?" Chloe growled, trying to jerk away from Envy.

"Two things." Envy said, gripping her tighter. "One, my master is interested in your alchemy. Two, you're very friendly with the Elric's now and we can use that to our advantage."

"You're not using me." Chloe hissed trying to raise her other foot. Envy sighed and lifted her right off the ground.

"You don't give up do you?"

Chloe panicked. She was blind off the ground. Completely blind and in the dark.

"Let me go!"

Envy held her easily as she struggled. "Wrath, take off her shoes."

Chloe's eyes widened and she kicked harder "No, no, no! Stop! Let me go!"

"Stop squirming." There was a flashing sound and Chloe froze as she felt the touch of sharp metal on her neck. "You wouldn't want my hand to slip would you?"

"Y-You can't kill me." Chloe whispered. "You're not supposed to."

"That's right." Envy smirked, moving the blade up to press against her cheek. "But she said nothing about me hurting you a little bit. Like cutting up your little face."

Chloe's heart was pounding against her chest. She wasn't quite as resilient against pain like Cara was.

"Are you going to stay still little blind girl?" Envy asked, smiling cruelly as he let the blade cut a little ways into her skin. A drop of blood rolled down Chloe's cheek. Pressing her lips together and closing her eyes, she nodded.

She felt like crying as Wrath removed her shoes. Without them she was defenseless. Without them Envy had control of her. That was the last thing she wanted.

"This is what you're most afraid of isn't it?" Envy smirked as he tugged off her gloves and tossed them to Wrath. "Being completely in the dark."

He let her drop to the ground. She scrambled away from him blindly until her back hit the wall. "Stay away from me" she hissed.

She heard a snigger and heard footsteps coming towards her. A moment later she felt a blinding pain as Envy sank his fist into her stomach. She coughed and fell forward. Then she knew no more.

* * *

**_REVIEW!_**


	33. Chapter 32: Pain

**_Ok so here is my explanation for being gone so long. I work on alot of fanfictions as you know and it would be hard to update them all at ocne, especially with school going on. That is why I have insurance._**

**_Insurance is this thing where I manage to get myself obsessed enough with a story to put myself on a writing binge where I drill out several chapters in a short ammount of time and am able to release them slowly over a period of time where I might be more busy. The reason I haven't updated this story for so long is when a busy time hit I had no insurance. This is in fact the only story i have never had insurance in. Every update was written and uploaded as soon as it was done. _**

**_My other FMA fanfic had insurance and I forced myself to make insurance for my harry potter and Inkheart fanfic because i abandoned them for much longer than I did with this fic. But now I have managed to get four chapters worth of insurance done on this fic so that I will be releasing for a little while longer. Meanwhile, all of my fics are starting to run low on insurance so I should probably work on those._**

**_Sorry for the delay. Enjoy this nice chapter_**

_"Pain, without love_

_Pain, can't get enough_

_Pain, or lack thereof_

_Cause I'd rather feel pain than nothing at all."_

_-Three Days Grace_

Cara often found herself in the large ballroom of the underground city perched up on the rafters. Mostly because she preferred to be as far away from the other homunculi as possible. She got along with Lust alright and Wrath, while occasionally annoying, was a sweet kid. But all of the others made her want to spit. Pride was arrogant (as his name clearly suggested) and Dante made her skin crawl with hatred.

And Envy… she hated him so much. Every time she saw him she felt a burning in her chest and a blinding need to lash out at him.

He was always smirking at her, taunting her, calling her those insufferable nicknames. And he killed Hughes of course.

'_But that shouldn't bother me. None of this should bother me anymore… Even when I'm a homunculus I'm still…weak…'_

Weak… that horrible word. That word that she hated so much.

'_Why am I weak?'_

"Apathy?"

Cara jumped as she heard Wrath's voice. She turned to see that Wrath was hanging from the rafters looking at her with his wide blue eyes.

"Oh… hi Wrath." Cara rubbed a hand over her face. "Did you need something?"

"No. I just got back from a mission. I came to see you." He cocked his head to the side. "Is something wrong?"

"Of course not." Cara forced a smirk onto her face. She decided to change the subject. "What mission?"

"Getting the blind alchemist for master."

Cara froze. "The… the blind alchemist?... Chloe?"

"Yeah, that's her name." Wrath nodded. "We're using her to lure the brothers in. That and Dante wants to know about her alchemy."

"Why didn't anyone tell me about this Wrath?" Cara hissed, grabbing the younger homunculus by the shoulders. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Why do you think little devil?"

Cara felt her blood boil at the sound of Envy's voice. She let go of Wrath and whipped her head around to glare down at Envy.

"You…"

"Dante doesn't trust you." Envy continued. "No one does. Because you're still very unstable."

Cara jumped down from the rafters and landed in a crouch in front of Envy "Yeah, and I don't trust you either. And I'm sick of being kept in the dark!" she stood. "Why didn't I know about this? Chloe-"

"Is an attachment you're going to have to sever quickly if you want to survive." Envy cut her off. "Or Dante is going to have you disposed of."

"You'd like that wouldn't you?" Cara sneered.

"Yeah little devil, I really think I would."

Cara launched her fist at his face but he caught her wrist and twisted her arm behind her back.

"It doesn't matter how many times you try Apathy, you're never going to get a hit on me, much less beat me." He released her wrist and shoved her to the ground. "I'm a lot older than you and a hell of a lot stronger."

Cara glared at him with burning eyes before she rose and stalked from the room.

"Wrath, you should be guarding the blind girl." She heard Envy snap from behind her.

"I-I know. Sorry!"

* * *

Chloe sat in utter darkness. She had no idea where she was but she figured she was in some kind of room. She was tied to a chair. The floor was soft on her bare feet. Carpet.

"I can't see." She whispered. "God I wish I had my shoes."

The door opened and she jumped "Who's there?"

"It's me…. Wrath." A young voice answered back.

"What do you want?" Chloe asked, relaxing.

"Nothing. I'm supposed to be guarding you." Wrath said.

"Yeah because I'm going to get really far without my shoes." Chloe muttered, dipping her head.

"How can shoes help you to see? Eyes are in your head, not your feet." Wrath asked.

There was a measure of child like curiosity in his voice. Even though Chloe knew he was monster she couldn't help but smile.

"It's an alchemy thing. I'm special."

"Oh." Wrath said. "I don't need transmutation circles or anything to do my alchemy and it's not science either. I can just… do it."

"That's right, you can meld your body with objects." Chloe nodded. "So Wrath, where are we?"

"Uh…" Wrath hesitated. "I don't know if I'm supposed to tell you that."

Chloe sighed "I'm not going anywhere alright? I'm tied to chair without any way to see, in a place that I'm unfamiliar with. I can't do anything."

Wrath considered this "Alright. We're in an underground city under Central."

Chloe's unseeing eyes widened. "You're joking."

"Nope." Wrath said. "Promise."

"This is screwed up" Chloe let her head fall back against the chair. A thought suddenly occurred to her. "Hey… Wrath… is Cara here?"

"Cara?" Wrath sounded confused. "Oh you mean Apathy?"

"…Yeah, that's what I meant" Chloe murmured.

"Apathy is here." Wrath answered. "Actually I think she left to go to the surface not long ago. She was pretty angry with Envy."

"They don't get along?" Chloe's mouth quirked.

"No… I think they hate each other."

"Oh…" Chloe sighed and closed her eyes. "I guess some things don't change."

* * *

Cara was running. She didn't stop for people or cars or anyone. She just ran through the streets of Central, not turning, not looking back, just running. She wasn't sure what she was running from. She just had to run.

Even after tightly packed buildings waned into suburban houses she kept moving. It wasn't until she was utterly alone in the bordering woods of Central that she slowed to a stop. She wasn't tired from running but at the same time she felt so drained. Because whatever she was running from was still there.

She punched a tree with all of her might, cracking the bark and her knuckles. Red blood spilled over her skin like rivers. She stared at it. Even though she was a homunculus she could still bleed, still die. She punched a tree with her other hand, tearing up those knuckles too. More blood, more pain. But it was distracting from the utter emptiness she felt inside her right now.

She started fighting the trees and the ground around her. Kicking, fighting, punching wildly at them. Cries slipped from her throat as she continued this abuse. Ragged yells of anger. There were no tears of pain though. She relished the pain. She relished that she could feel _something_.

Memories flashed through her head again. Faces. The faces of the boy who brought her back to life, the older girl that shared her red hair, the reflection of her four year old self in the mirror. The violet butterfly.

Pain stabbed through her chest as she slammed into a tree again and she curled in on herself, falling to her knees and clutching her chest. Still despite the pain she tried to get up again, to keep lashing out. She cocked back her fist to punch at the bark of a thick tree again only to have her wrist caught.

"Let's go of me!" she hissed at whoever had grabbed her. She wrestled violently with her assailant, trying to pull away but they grabbed her other wrist too.

"Stop it Apathy."

That was Envy's voice. This just made her struggle harder.

"Let me go! I said let go you son of a bitch!" Cara screamed. "Let GO!"

"Apathy!" Envy's voice was vicious as he slammed her up against a tree. Cara opened her eyes and found them inches from his violet ones. "Get a hold of yourself you idiot." He growled. "You're going to get yourself killed."

"Maybe that would be better." Cara tried to wriggle away but Envy slammed her back against the tree again, harder than before.

"I told you to stop." He hissed. "Don't. Move."

His voice was so deadly that Cara had to do what he said. She glared at him, breathing heavily in her rage. It was several minutes before her breathing started to slow.

"Are you done now?" Envy asked.

Cara's head dipped "Yes…"

"Good." Envy released her and she leaned back on the tree for support.

The older homunculus held out his hand. In his palm sat several red stones. "Take them."

"I don't want to." Cara muttered, staring at the stones.

"I'll shove them down your throat if I need to little devil." Envy sighed. "Take the damn stones."

Cara hesitantly took them and popped them in her mouth. Her bloodied knuckles and scratched skin instantly began to heal themselves. Slowly Cara sat down on the grass.

"Geez." Envy muttered. "You're so stubborn you know that? You're only making things harder for yourself."

"Don't keep me in the dark anymore" Cara met his gaze evenly. "And you won't have to worry about me."

Envy scoffed "As if I'm ever worried about _you_. You're just a valuable resource to us right now. Don't get any ideas."

"I'm not." Cara said. "Why did you follow me?"

"To make sure you weren't doing something stupid, which you _were_."

"I thought you didn't care."

"Don't be obnoxious."

"Right back at you."

The two glared at each other for a moment before Envy gestured impatiently with his hand "Come on kid. Get up. We're going back."

Cara pulled herself to her feet "So Chloe… will Dante kill her after the Elric brothers are lured in?" She asked lightly.

"It's possible." Envy said. "That depends on how everything goes."

"You want to be a little more specific? Everything is a broad term." Cara said dryly.

Envy cast her a glare over his shoulder "Unfortunately, I'm unsure of what Dante is planning as well, so I can't tell you."

"Oh… really." Cara looked at her feet as she walked. It seems even Dante didn't even trust her right hand for some things. Which probably meant she cared little about him as well.

She wondered if Envy knew that too.

* * *

Mustang stared down at the document, his brow furrowed, his mouth drawn in a frown. It was missing person document. Chloe Brooks had been taken from a train that was supposedly attacked by terrorists. She hadn't been seen since. That was a month ago.

He didn't want to deal with Edward when he found out.

It was with cruel timing that Ed and Al came through the door. Both looked tired a discouraged.

"Hey colonel." Ed sighed.

"Fullmetal." Mustang stuffed the Missing Person report under some other papers. "How did go in the south"

"We're too far behind Scar. We have no idea where he is." Ed grumbled. "It's a wild goose chase. We might as well go onto another lead." He sat down in couch in the middle of the room. "So is Chloe back yet?"

Mustang's jaw clenched but he quickly recovered. "No, she's still in the East I'm afraid."

"Oh, that's too bad." Ed said. "Will she be back soon?"

"Probably." Mustang said. "In the mean time you should try and be productive since the only thing you've been doing is engaging in a wild goose chase."

"Hey! Cut us some slack!" Ed snapped.

"That's all I ever do." Mustang sighed and gestured impatiently with his hand "Dismissed."

* * *

"Brother, do you think Mustang was acting a bit strange?" Al asked as the brothers walked down the street.

"Hmm, no. He seemed as pompous and annoying as usual." Ed said.

"Brother" Al sighed. "He seemed like something was on his mind."

"I don't care much about his personal problems." Ed waved the comment away. "Why don't we grab a bite to eat?"

"Sure, I don't mind" Al said, dropping the subject. "I hope Chloe get's back soon. Maybe she found something in the East."

"I think Chloe will have a hard time getting back from the East." A voice said from to Ed's right. "When she never actually got there in the first place.

Ed whirled to see a man with spiky brown hair and violet eyes. The man smirked.

"Who are you?"

The man's voice changed suddenly as he spoke again "Does this help." The voice obviously belonged to Envy.

"You!" Ed growled, ready to fight.

"Don't yell pipsqueak, you'll draw attention." Envy smirked. "You don't want to do that, do you?"

"What do you mean Chloe never got there?" Al asked, panicked.

Envy's smirk broadened and Ed's fists clenched "What did you do to her?"

"Oh she's fine. She a bit tied up at the moment of course." Envy said. "Too bad that Mustang didn't tell you about it huh?"

"You better have not hurt her." Ed growled. "Or I swear I'll-"

"Whether or not she gets hurt is completely up to you." Envy said, turning to walk away.

"Get back here!" Ed lunged at him, fist cocked back. Envy simply stepped to the side and flipped Ed over his shoulder with a flick of his wrist.

"You still don't know what you're dealing with, do you pipsqueak?" Envy sneered, staring down at him. "It's going to come to you. In the mean time I would try to figure out how to make a philosophers stone. That's what is going to save your blind alchemist."

"_Where is she?_" Ed growled, glaring viciously up at him.

"Figure it out." Envy said. "The quicker the better." He started to walk away again before he stopped. "You might try looking into your… father's research."

The way he said father sounded like he was tasting poison. Then he walked away.

"Brother are you ok?" Al ran over to him.

"I'm fine." Ed growled.

But Chloe wasn't. And Ed had to find out where she was or else he was sure she wouldn't live long.

* * *

**_Hope you enjoyed! REVIEW!_**


	34. Chapter 33: Pawns

**_Ok so I've decided that I'm going to do a love triangle to appease the fans because so many people voted._**

**_Cara: She has never done a love triangle before._**

**_Chloe: So this should be interesting._**

**_Indeed. That said, you get a taste of EnvyxCara in this chapter. For some reason I'm always taking about 30 chapters to get to the romance part of my story. Ever notice that?_**

**_Ed: Yeah, we have._**

**_Envy: REVIEW!_**

In between intakes of the red stones Cara went from completely apathetic, to testy, to violently angry before Envy forced her to take more and she went back to apathetic. Like she was supposed to be. But said mood swings made her angry just thinking about them. Many things set Cara off these days. Thoughts of Dante, thoughts of caring about her old life, her memories that she could never seem to piece together, thoughts of Chloe, everything.

Most of all, Envy. Actually, Cara didn't even know _why _he irritated her so damn much anymore. I mean he was cruel and pretty apathetic himself but he was all the things that Cara _should _be as a homunculus. Maybe it was because she could never manage to punch him like she wanted to. Really Cara wanted to irritate _him_. Get under his skin. It was so easy for him to get under hers.

One thing that did seem to irritate him were the occasional bouts of violence she experienced when she was near an attack. Her destruction of whatever room she was in seem to just really annoy him. Which of course only encouraged Cara to destroy her surroundings more.

It was the pain she liked to feel. She had thought that she had always wanted to get rid of the pain. But now it seemed like a release when she felt it. She wanted to feel something. Whatever feeling actually meant.

Cara was glad when Lust returned to the underground city. Lust was the only homunculus she could actually talk to and not feel irritated. Wrath was fine but his innocent/ bloodthirsty attitude could be a little grating after awhile. Lust was her preference when it came to really talking.

"I heard you've been destroying quite a bit of the underground city lately." Lust said dryly.

Cara shrugged. "Sometimes."

"Envy says it annoys him." She continued.

"That's the point."

"I guess it is." She pushed her hair behind her shoulders as she observed herself in the mirror. "You don't like him very much do you?"

"Is it that obvious?" Cara smirked.

"Glaringly." Lust turned around. "Of all of us you would choose to make your enemy you have to choose him."

"He's the most dislikable" Cara said.

"He's also the least beatable." Lust pointed out.

"That just makes him more annoying." Cara shrugged. "I think we're looping in this conversation."

"Right."

There was silence between them for a moment as Cara watched Lust wander aimlessly around the room. She opened up a drawer and her eyes flashed in recognition. "Oh this little thing again."

Cara froze as Lust withdrew a familiar music box from the drawer. She opened it and listened to it. "I always thought this was a nice melody. I'm surprised you kept it still."

Memories flashed through Cara's head and she shook them away, rubbing a hand over her face. "Can you… can you put that away Lust?"

Lust nodded, understanding and closed the box, shutting it safely back in the drawer.

"Lust… do you have memories a lot?" Cara asked.

"Frequently." She sighed. "More and more so as time goes on, though I don't know why."

"And what do you see?" Cara pressed.

Lust looked at her warily. "It's not wise to talk about these things."

"Don't get philosophical on me. Just tell me what you see." Cara growled.

Lust studied her, obviously weighing whether or not Cara would go into a raging fit if she refused. Then she sighed and sat down on the bed. "It has taken me awhile to work out what I can from my memories. But I believe I was in love with the man who brought me back from the dead. I was… an Ishbalan woman. The man I see always has the brown skin and red eyes."

"Do you know how you died?" Cara asked softly, fiddling with her hands.

"Sickness I think." Lust shrugged. "And you? What have you been able to glean from your memories? Do they trouble you often?"

"Yeah, it's really annoying." Cara ran a hand through her hair. "I think I died when I was just a kid. I was four. I hit my head on a rock when I fell into a creek and drowned." She shook her head. "But I don't know who the people were. Maybe family… maybe friends. But their faces are too hazy in my mind."

"That happens." Lust nodded. "And for you only being on the stone for a short time your memory is impressive. It took me several years."

"Well I have been a homunculus for several years." Cara smiled bitterly. "I just didn't know it."

"I suppose." Lust shrugged.

"So how was Envy brought back?" she blurted out suddenly.

Lust stared at her. "Ask him, and I doubt you'll live through the night."

"I can't die" Cara rolled her eyes. "_Apparently _at least."

"He'll find away. I really don't recommend you ask him." Lust shook her head.

"Fine, fine." Cara said.

"You're going to ignore my advice aren't you?"

"Probably."

* * *

In her time as a captive in the underground city, Chloe found a lot of time to talk to Wrath. Even though he was a homunculus and tended to drop death threats and vows at the drop of a hat he was somewhat innocent in an odd sort of way. The way he asked questions in that confused, childlike voice, the way he always seemed to be moving around like a restless kid (Or so Chloe heard), and his whole demeanor just seemed very curious and not at all threatening.

"Wrath," Chloe asked one day. "Do you… like working here for your master?"

There was silence as Wrath thought. "Not really her. But I like mommy a lot."

"Mommy?"

"Sloth. Her name is actually Sloth. But she's my mom." Wrath said.

Chloe resisted the urge to correct him. "But you don't like your master?"

"She scares me." Wrath admitted. "Envy kind of scares me too. And I don't really like a lot of the others. Apathy is pretty nice to me though. When she isn't moping or angry."

"Moping?" Chloe asked. Moping had never been something Cara did. Even with the burden of her attacks she always retained a cheerful, though sarcastic attitude in all she did. Then again, Cara and Apathy couldn't be the same person. She kept on having to remind herself of that.

"Yep. She gets all thoughtful and depressed a lot." Wrath nodded. The floor creaked. Chloe knew he must be moving around again. "Hangs around, doesn't speak a lot, except to argue with Envy. And then she'll get really angry and she'll start destroying things. Really scary. Then she takes the red stones again and she goes back to moping."

"Why does she get angry?" Chloe asked.

"Don't know." Wrath said mournfully. "She won't tell me."

"Just like her." Chloe muttered. "Keeping everything inside…"

"Huh?" Wrath asked.

"Never mind." Chloe shook her head. "Never mind."

* * *

"Damn it!" Ed chucked the first thing he could grab, a book on alchemy, across the room where he and Al had holed up to figure out where Chloe was being kept. "There are hundreds of places she could be! How the hell are we supposed to figure out where the homunculi are hiding? We have no leads!"

"Well…" Al said nervously. "Envy did say… something about dad's research."

"I don't want that bastards help!" Ed growled.

"Do you mean dad or Envy?"

"NIETHER!" Ed sat down in his chair, so violently it almost tipped over.

"…brother it's the only lead we have." Al said quietly. "So pride might be something you have to sacrifice in this situation."

Ed said nothing. He just glared at his hands. Why hadn't Mustang told them? Why had they separated from Chloe? This was all just so messed up!

"I'm going for a walk." Ed stood up with a growl and stalked to the door. "I need to cool off. I need to think. Keep on reading Al."

"…Alright."

* * *

Outside it was starting to cloud over. The atmosphere was such that Ed couldn't find the ability to cool down. This whole prospect looked gloomy.

"Damn you Cara… Apathy… who ever the hell you are now." Ed cursed. "If you hadn't done this. If you hadn't become one of them this probably never would have happened. I can't believe we trusted you. Even _I _trusted you."

And he had. He had really thought that she was on their side despite what she was. But all homunculi were the same in the end. They were all the same cold cruel creatures. Demons that looked like humans on the outside. But they weren't. They had no souls.

Someone knocked into him while they were running and Ed's shoulder jolted. He spun around "Watch it!" Then he stopped when he saw who it was. A familiar set of brothers that had once stolen his identity. Rusl and Fletcher Tringham.

"Ed." Rusl stopped in mid stride and hurried back to him, his brother close behind him. "We've been looking for you."

"Looking for me?" Ed asked in confusion. "Why? What are you doing here? Not stealing my name again I hope because I'm in a really bad mood."

"No." Fletcher said. "It's… well you're still looking for the philosophers stone aren't you?"

"Yeah, we are." Ed muttered. _'But not right now.' _He added inwardly.

"We have something you might want to see." Rusl held up a leather bound book. "Something to do with my father's research. His research with an alchemist named Hoenhiem."

Now they had Ed's attention. "…tell me about it."

* * *

Cara was in the ballroom again when Envy stalked in. But he didn't seem to notice her from where she was perched up on the rafters. He seemed lost in his own raging thoughts. Cara on the other hand was feeling exceptionally subdued and cold. Her reasoning seemed to go out the window with that and she made the decision to bother Envy about it.

"Rough day?" she asked lightly, jumping down from the rafter and landing in a crouch on the floor.

Envy shot her a withering look. "Get lost."

"I was here first." Cara pointed out. "What's wrong? The old lady being a bitch again?" That was usually what tended to piss off Envy the most.

"Isn't she always?" he muttered.

"Yes." Cara nodded. "Kind of makes you wonder why you've put up with her for _four hundred freaking years."_

Envy glared ahead, probably making his best effort not to throw her across the room. "That doesn't concern you little devil."

"Sure it doesn't. But since when do I care?" Cara asked tonelessly. "I am _Apathy_."

"You're pushing your luck." Envy snapped. "I'm not in the mood to deal with you. _Get lost_."

"Dante has many of those fine apathetic traits too." Cara mused. Her voice never shifted pitch as she talked. She didn't see the need. It would get under Envy's skin more if she kept her face blank. "You know, she cares about herself, power, but not any of us. Her pawns." When Envy said nothing she continued, on a roll now. "Nah, if we were a hindrance to her she'd cut us off like that. No hesitation. Even if you served her for as long as you have. We're just pawns to her. Worthless, stupid, pawns."

Her words did the trick though even better than Cara had hoped. Because seconds later, Envy had her by the throat, pinned up against the wall, his grip so tight that Cara couldn't breathe or speak.

"I thought I told you to shut up." Envy hissed, squeezing his hand even tighter. "You're too bold, Apathy. Do you know how easily I could snap your neck right now? With just a flick of my wrist. And how long has it been since you've had the stones? Awhile? Maybe if I snapped your neck you would die."

"That's… just because… you know… it's true." Cara managed to choke out. Her words were barely audible, but she still managed to get them loud enough for Envy to hear.

He made a growling sound in his throat. "Even if it was true I don't really care. Got it?" He shook Cara by the neck.

Cara's eyes narrowed slightly as she found a sharp metal pole in the room with her mind and brought it flying towards Envy. It speared him in the shoulder and she managed to jump away.

"If you don't care, what's with the strong reaction?" she muttered, straightening from where she had landed in a crouch. Envy yanked the metal pole straight from his shoulder with barely a wince. He healed up almost immediately and tossed it to the side.

"You think you're smart. You act like you don't care. But you're one of those "pawns" you're talking about." Envy growled.

Cara shrugged. "I know." A small smirk touched her face. "I really enjoy getting under your skin. I don't manage to do it very often but I enjoy it."

She found herself slammed against the wall again. Envy gripped her shoulders so tightly in his hands Cara thought he might crush them. He glared down at her. "You… are one of the most infuriating… people… I have _ever _met."

"I get that a lot." Cara said flatly.

Envy studied her for a long time, trying to figure out away to get under _her _skin now that she had obviously irritated him so much. Suddenly a smirk came over his face. "Do you?" he asked. "How about this?"

What happened next won Envy the fight. Because she irritated him. But what he did left her mind in scrambles hours later. Envy crashed his mouth against hers in a firm, violent kiss. Cara's eyes widened and stiffened in his grip.

Then the kiss stopped as suddenly as it had begun. Envy released her, smirked and then strode out of the room. Slowly, Cara slid down the wall and to the ground, her face still frozen in a look of absolute shock.

"What the hell." She muttered rubbing a hand over her face. "What the hell was that?" she swallowed. "I'm going to _kill _Envy."

* * *

**_It's funny because you know Envy did that just to irk her. That was a fun scene to write._**

**_Cara: For you._**

**_Envy: She doesn't care about whether or not it's fun for her characters._**

**_Cara: Good point... wait I still hate you. Not good point. You have no good points._**

**_Envy: Oh good lord._**

**_Chloe: REVIEW!_**


	35. Chapter 34: Burning

**_More EnvyxCara in this chapter!_**

**_Cara: We're nearing the end of the second arc._**

**_Chloe: Then we'll be on the home strech. The third and final arc_**

**_This book is not going to be a series. Everything will neatly tie up at the end so it will stand alone as a book._**

**_Ed: The book is probably going to clock in at around fifty chapters long at most but maybe less_**

**_Envy: And might end up being the longest book the authoress has ever written_**

**_Al: Yep!_**

**_Wrath: REVIEW!_**

* * *

_"A woman either loves or hates. She knows no medium" -Unknown_

Envy wasn't exactly sure what had made him do what he did. But he had seen no other way to get the girl to just _shut up_. It had been impulse. But it had obviously worked. The look on her face had been priceless.

But it still left the question of why he had done that. And he didn't know. No matter how hard he tried to figure it out, he wasn't sure what had made him do that. Apathy infuriated him. But there was something odd about her. So at the same time he found her interesting. At least she kept things around the city not so boring. Even if she did have to learn to keep her snide tongue under control.

But that little kiss would keep her shut up for a few days if not longer.

Even if he still couldn't figure out why he had done it.

* * *

"An underground city." Ed said slowly. "The legendary city that disappeared in a single night."

"That's right." Rusl nodded. "And based on what we've read on this, it's very true. Our father came in contact with a certain alchemist. Hoenhiem of Light."

Ed stiffened at the name but he said nothing. Rusl continued.

"My father was researching the philosophers stone and Hoenhiem showed him the underground city. This was undoubtedly what turned him off further research of the normal method. So he researched the red water instead. But you know how that turned out." Rusl sighed.

"Yeah." Ed nodded.

"So this means that you know where the door is?" Al asked, eagerly. "The entrance to this city?"

"Yes." Fletcher said. "Do you think that you might find something there?"

"It's more than the philosophers stone." Ed growled. "Our friend was kidnapped. We've been looking for a place they might have taken her. One of them said to look into my father's research. This must have been what he meant." Ed stood. "Show us. We don't have time to waste. We have to go and get her out _now_."

"Have you thought that it might be a trap?" Rusl asked slowly.

"Of course I've thought of that!" Ed snapped.

"But we can't leave her." Al said firmly.

"Yeah guess not." Rusl shrugged. "But still."

"If your brother was taken, wouldn't you go after him?" Al asked.

A smile came over Rusl's face "Of course I would." He ruffled Fletcher's hair.

"Exactly." Ed said. "Will you take us there?"

"Yeah," Rusl and Fletcher stood. "Let's get going."

* * *

"The Elric brothers are on their way here, or so Lust says." Envy's voice made Cara stiffen like she had been charged with an electric current. "Master told me to tell you."

Cara stared blankly at him "Yippee."

A smirk curled over Envy's face, "Rough day?"

"Fuck you." Cara growled.

Envy laughed and stepped into her room. "Oh, well I'll take that as a _yes_."

"Go die."

"Can't do that little devil." Envy shook his head.

"Well than at least go away." She muttered.

"No. I do enjoy getting under your skin." Envy smirked, walking casually around her room.

Cara could have killed him for how he twisted her own words back on her. She could have snapped his neck in half. Instead she decided to ignore him. To just stare ahead at the wall and pretend he wasn't there. He was probably smirking at her but she didn't care. She. Didn't. _Care_.

Music suddenly filled the room. Music that made her throat close up. She whipped her head around to see Envy holding the music box in his hand.

"Put that down!" she snapped flying at Envy, reaching her hand out to grab it from his hand. Envy caught both her wrists with his hands as he dropped the music box and pinned her up against the wall. The melody didn't stop. It continued on like a funeral march in Cara's ears.

Cara glared viciously at him and tried to struggle away. He smirked at her "You look nervous little devil."

"Like hell." She snarled, trying to jerk away from him. "Let me GO!"

"Stop struggling." Envy pulled her forward and slammed her back against the wall again. Cara stopped and continued to glare at him.

"You bastard." She growled. "Why did you _do _that the other day? Why did you fucking kiss me?"

Envy stared at her oddly, as if the question confused him too. "I don't really know. Seemed like the best way to shut you up at the time."

Cara was completely out of things to say. There weren't words to express the burning feeling in her chest. "You… are so…" she glared at him as if that could convey everything. He looked back at her, still amused, as she tried to come up with something biting. Finally she just sighed. "Envy, let me go."

To her surprise, he did. She stalked away from him and over to the window, brushing her hair violently away from her face. The music box was still going. "Turn that damn thing off."

"If you hate it so much why did you keep it?" Envy asked. There was a snap as the box closed and the melody disappeared.

"I…" Cara stopped. "I don't know. I didn't used to hate it."

"Hmm."

Cara turned and glared at him. "Aren't the Elric brother's on their way? Shouldn't you be taking care of that?"

"I said on their way but they'll still be awhile." Envy shrugged and leaned against the wall.

Cara shrugged and turned away. "You do… know… that what I said yesterday is true don't you?"

Envy was silent for awhile. Cara expected he was thinking about whether or not he should slam her into a wall again. He finally sighed. "Maybe."

"If you were to disagree with her or go against her, she would cast you away as easily as any of the others." Cara murmured.

"Yeah, maybe she would. I haven't tried it." Envy said.

"And you're fine with that. That's something I don't get. I'm fine with it because I'm only here for the stones. I have no loyalty whatsoever to Dante herself. But you've been here four hundred years. _Why _have you stayed?"

"You ask a lot." Envy growled.

"I don't think so." Cara turned and looked back over her shoulder at him. "I don't think I do at all. It's a simple question."

"It's not a simple answer." Envy said.

"Answer anyway. Like you said, the Elric brothers are going to take awhile." The light of challenge flashed in Cara's eye. She wasn't asking now to irritate him. Now she was asking because she honestly wanted to know.

"…All you need to know." Envy said slowly, giving her a burning look. "Is that I stay here because I need to kill someone. Someone that might come back to Dante one day. And when that happens I will kill him. Also it helps that I enjoy messing with humans."

"What a vague answer." Cara turned back towards the window.

"It's all you're getting."

"Yeah, I thought so." Cara sighed. "And I stay here for the red stones. Which is just great because they don't seem to be helping me much. For awhile, sure, but it all comes back to those attacks. That's the reason joined this. Because they were the only thing I actually feared. But I don't think it's going to make a dent in my condition. It's like a drug." Cara's hands clenched at her side. "And what if the person you want to kill never comes back? How long are you going to stick around with Dante when she irritates you so much and pulls you around on strings like she does?"

Now Envy's anger snapped. He grabbed her shoulders and spun her around, slamming her back against the window so hard a crack shot through it. "I am _not _being led around on strings." Envy hissed in her ear. "I am not a puppet."

"That's what she does!" Cara snapped. "That's all she does! She operates strings! She pulls us around while we pull others around, thinking we're the ones doing the manipulating when we're _not_! You're no exception to that rule! You still do everything she tells you to do!"

"Shut up."

"You do everything she says, you _feel _everything she says! You're not a puppet? _Prove it!_"

There was only a split second of rage and confusion in Envy's eyes before he leaned forward and locked his lips with hers. Cara drew in a sharp breath as she had before and stiffened. The kiss lasted longer this time before Envy pulled away, his eyes parallel with hers.

"You _really _need to learn when to shut up." He muttered.

Cara quickly wiped her shock off her face. Because two could play at that game. She grabbed his shoulders and brought her mouth back to his, just as forceful as him. And he kissed her back, pressing her against the wall as he did, matching and over powering her force.

In the back of her mind Cara wondered what the hell she was doing. Getting even? Maybe. But it was the burning feeling in her chest that was driving her. She had been convinced it was anger. But now she wasn't quite so sure that was it.

But it was something. She was _feeling _something. And that's why she found herself pulled into the kiss. Because it felt good. And she could feel without pain. This wasn't hitting a tree or lashing out in anger. The kiss was forceful, but it was a good feeling.

Envy broke away and looked down at her. His brow was furrowed in confusion, like he couldn't believe what had just happened. Or he couldn't understand it. Cara guessed her face looked much the same way.

"You are so… strange." Envy muttered, still close to her face. "Infuriating and strange."

"Right back at you." Cara growled though her voice had no real anger behind it.

Envy sighed and released her shoulders, stepping back from her. "The Elric's will be here soon."

"Right." She nodded, her eyes falling to the ground. Envy left and she pushed her hair out of her face.

"God… what was that?"

* * *

"The Elric brothers are on their way." Wrath told Chloe.

Chloe's heart sank. "No… they can't come."

"But that means you'll be released." Wrath said, sounding confused.

"Released? No I won't. Dante won't release me. She might kill me." Chloe smiled bitterly and jerked at her bindings. "Damn it I have to help them!"

"You can't without your shoes and gloves." Wrath reminded her.

"No…" Chloe stopped before an idea popped into her head. "Wrath… you could get them for me."

"What?" Wrath's voice squeaked. "No I couldn't! That's a bad idea!"

"They're my friends Wrath. I can't just let them do something this stupid." Chloe pleaded. "If they're going to get into a fight, I need to help them!"

"But I _can't_. We're still on different sides you know."

"_Wrath_." Chloe insisted. "Put yourself in my shoes."

"You don't have your shoes."

"It's a figure of speech Wrath. Put yourself in my _place_." Chloe sighed.

"But I hate the Elrics." Wrath reminded her.

"But what if it was your mom?" Chloe asked.

"Mommy?" Wrath's voice was colored with surprised.

"Right." Chloe nodded. "What if your mom was going into a situation that would probably result in her being killed? Wouldn't you want to help her? Wouldn't you do anything to help her even if it meant you might be killed?"

"I can't die."

"_Wrath_."

"Of course I would!" Wrath said indignantly. "I'd do anything to protect Mommy."

"So you get it." Chloe said. "See it's the same thing. So _please _Wrath, help me! Get me my shoes!"

Wrath was in decisive and silent for several moments before he said. "Fine… but if I get in trouble I'm blaming you."

Chloe smiled. "Thanks Wrath. I owe you one."

* * *

Ed looked down the long passageway they had opened up in the church that seemed to expand into endless darkness.

"Yeah, this is definitely the right place." He muttered.

"Looks dark." Al murmured.

"We'll be fine." Ed turned back to Rusl and Fletcher. "We can take it from here. Thanks for your help. You have no idea how much this helps us."

"Yeah, you owe us one." Rusl smirked.

Ed smirked too. "No I don't. This is your payment for stealing our names."

Rusl rolled his eyes. "Just be careful, alright Ed?"

"Sure." Ed shrugged easily. "Al and I are used to this. Don't worry about us."

"Come back alive." Rusl said firmly.

Ed smiled and headed down the stairs, Al close behind him.

* * *

**_It's picking up speed! Finally. I was getting so tired of being in a constant state of writers block. I'll be glad when this arc of depressingness is over._**

**_Cara: What a coincidence. So will I._**

**_Chloe: Me too!_**

**_Ed: I second that!_**

**_Al: Yeah, I agree too._**

**_Every other person effected by the depressingness of the arc: AND US!_**

**_...Right..._**

**_Envy: REVIEW!_**


	36. Chapter 35: Two Sides at War

**_Ok... so it's been awhile because I've been super lazy. I've been working on an Original story and I had school up until a month ago then i had vacations and other stuff. Also this is the last of the stories insurance so i'll have to kick myself in the butt to get stuff done. The next chapter I have to write is very hard._**

**_Cara: But regardless enjoy this action packed chapter!_**

**_Chloe: REVIEW!_**

Chloe was almost amazed that Wrath had managed to get her the shoes. She had expected something to go wrong with her luck. But it hadn't. He had gotten her both her shoes and her gloves.

"I still can't believe you talked me into this." He whined.

"I'll say I escaped myself, don't worry." Chloe said as she pulled on her shoes. "You should probably get out of here in the mean time and go to where the others are so that you can say that you weren't in the same place as me when I escaped.

"Oh… alright." Wrath nodded. Chloe was so glad to be able to feel movement again. "So I guess I'll see you later Chloe."

"Yeah." She smiled and straightened as she pulled on her gloves.

Wrath scurried from the room.

Sighing Chloe brushed her hair from her face and behind her ears. She closed her eyes and felt out the room. The entire city was a hotbed of vibrations, strong and vibrant. Wrath had told her this city had disappeared to make the philosopher's stone. That was probably why. She could feel everything around her like a map when she extended her focus.

The highest point of vibrations was in a large, open room a few buildings over. That was where she felt the master of the homunculi along with the others. Lust, whose vibrations she had felt in the fifth lab, Envy, who's vibrations were also very easy to pick up, Gluttony, another fifth lab homunculus, and… her brow furrowed. What was the Fuehrer doing here?

The thought that he might be a homunculus made Chloe's blood run cold. But then again, it made since how the homunculi's master would find out about her. But still… how could the leader of the nation be a homunculus?

Chloe decided not to think of it. Because she felt Ed and Al too, approaching the room very quickly.

"I've got to get to them first." She decided, hurrying from the room.

But in her rush she hadn't felt the other pair of vibrations coming towards her. She didn't even acknowledge them until she heard the voice behind her.

"How'd you get your shoes back, shrimp?"

Chloe skidded to a stop, frozen on the spot. "You."

"Brilliant deduction." Cara said.

"_No." _Chloe thought. _"Apathy. This isn't my friend. She's Apathy right now. Cara's not here. She's Apathy."_

Chloe turned slowly "I escaped. What are you going to do about it?"

"Well you know exactly what I'm going to do about it." Apathy said. "I'm going to let Dante go on with her merry plans that involve the Elrics, whatever they are, and I'm going to keep you from getting in the way."

"Really?" Chloe said. "Does that mean you're going to kill me?"

"It's very possible." Apathy said. "That depends. Are you going to try and fight me _shrimp_?"

"_That's her nickname!" _Chloe wanted to scream. _"Not yours. You can't use that!" _But she didn't say this out loud. "Yeah, if that's what I have to do to get past you."

Apathy smirked. It wasn't like Cara's smirk though. It felt more hollow. Less energetic and playful. Everything about Apathy seemed hollow despite how many vibrations came from her. "You think that's a good idea? You could never beat me in a fight unless I got an attack. And those appear much less frequently now."

"It's a better idea than doing nothing." Chloe growled though she knew this was true.

"Fine." Apathy drew two knives from her belt. "I'm not going easy on you."

In response Chloe stamped her foot on the ground sending a pillar of rock flying towards Apathy. She jumped back out of the way and skidded back in a crouch.

"Alright then." Apathy smirked before shooting forward, knives at the ready. Chloe's eyes narrowed in concentration. No time to freeze up now.

* * *

"She could be anywhere down here." Ed growled. "This underground city… its massive!

"Yeah." Al agreed.

"And how the hell did Hoenheim know about it?" Ed snapped.

"Who knows?" Al said. Most of his answers to his brother when he was ranting were short and clipped and meant not to anger him any further than he already was.

"Unless…" Ed's eyes narrowed. "He knew about it because he was involved…"

"Ed."

"And maybe he is close with the master of the homunculi…"

"Ed!"

"Unless he _is _there master."

"Don't say that Ed!" Al snapped. "We don't know that! Just because you hate him, doesn't mean he did this! He could have come across it in his research or something. I don't know. But he wouldn't do this!"

"You don't even remember him Al, how can you really have an opinion?" Ed asked.

"You don't really remember him well either." Al reminded him.

"Well-"

"Quiet!" Al said suddenly. "Do you… hear music?"

Ed listened. He did hear music. Like that that would play at a waltz. "I think they're trying to direct us there."

"It's definitely a trap." Al sighed hopelessly.

"Yep." Ed continued forward. "Let's go spring it and get Chloe out of there."

* * *

Cara had to admire the fact that Chloe had managed to push all previous relations to the Cara she knew and completely focus her rage on Apathy. She didn't think the kid would be able to make that distinction. It made the fight more interesting.

But at the same time the human in her was going back to everything else. Going back to Chloe saving her neck as much as she had saved hers. All the other fights that she had been in when Chloe had her back. But she pushed them from her mind. That was a lifetime ago; at least it felt like it. Cara couldn't think about those thoughts or memories anymore. Because she didn't care.

She _shouldn't _care.

A stone fist shot past Cara's left shoulder, barely grazing her before it crashed down the hall behind her. She was off focus. She had to focus.

Chloe had gotten better since she remembered. She was a state alchemist now, of course. Maybe they actually did try to get their alchemists better at fighting. Maybe Chloe had always been this good and Cara didn't know it.

But that didn't matter. Because Cara was still better.

She managed to get into close quarters with Chloe and knock her feet out from under her. Chloe rolled out of the way as Cara stabbed downward and pressed her hand to the wall. A stone spear shot into Chloe's hand and she stood, wielding it in front of her.

Cara grinned and stabbed out experimentally. Chloe twirled the spear and knocked the blade away with the shaft. So she at least knew how to use it. That made things more interesting. Cara lunged again, attacking more viciously with her knives. It was clear Chloe was struggling to keep up with her though she did manage to dodge and block every attack. She was still very human and her stamina was less than Cara's. But she was putting up a good fight.

Chloe stabbed forward with the spear. Cara side stepped and sun around, angling her blade towards Chloe's back. Chloe swung the spear around her body and blocked it before she turned and aimed the shaft of her spear down at Cara's head. Cara blocked it by crossing her blades together over her head. The force of the blow knocked the blades from her hand and onto the floor and she had to hold back the spear with her hands instead.

"How long you going to keep this up?" she asked, smirking at Chloe. She knew Chloe would know she was smirking. She always had.

"Until I beat you." Chloe said. "And then I'll go help Ed and Al."

"Until you beat me? Don't you think there's an option that I'll beat you?" Cara raised an eyebrow.

"Of course I do." Chloe said grimly. "But I'm choosing not to think about that right now."

"Smart, but you might want to consider it right about now." Cara swung her knee up, ramming Chloe in the stomach. The blind girl stumbled back, gasping for breath. That was all of the gap Cara needed.

She pulled the spear from Chloe's hand as her grip loosened and swung it at the girl. The shaft caught her in the stomach again and sent her flying into the wall. She slumped to the ground, unconscious.

Sighing, Cara dropped the spear and bent down to pick up her knives. "Now that the brothers are here, Dante was probably going to kill you anyway." She strode over to Chloe and looked down at her. "I should probably do the same thing.

Cara raised her knife slightly, ready to plunge it into the girl who used to be her friend.

* * *

The music was coming from what looked like a giant ballroom. Maybe it was for dancing and courts. Ed wasn't sure. It was a magnificent building. But all he saw were the people standing there, waiting for them.

One of them was Lyra, but Ed deduced almost immediately that it could not be Lyra, but someone who looked like her. Lyra wasn't evil material. Envy was also there, smirking at him, but at the same time glaring like all he wanted to do was choke Ed to death.

"_Let him try." _Ed thought.

Lust and Gluttony stood there as well, Gluttony with a finger in his mouth, looking hungry and Lust looking all together uninterested. Next to her was –

"The fuehrer?" Al whispered.

Ed felt cold shoot through him at the word. It _couldn't _be the fuehrer. The leader of the country? It couldn't be! But the Fuehrer's secretary was there too and Wrath was rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet next to her.

Apathy wasn't there. Ed looked around to see if she might be hiding but he didn't see a flash of red hair anywhere. Maybe she was just waiting for the worst moment to show up.

"Hello Edward Elric." It was Lyra… or whoever she was… who stepped forward.

Ed's eyes narrowed. "Who are you? You're definitely not Lyra."

"Figured that out pretty quick, didn't he?" Envy smirked.

"Well who do you think I am?" 'Lyra' blinked innocently.

"Someone who's bad news if they're anywhere near those guys." Ed nodded towards the homunculi. "So what… why are you in Lyra's body? And who are you?"

"Are you the one the homunculi have called master?" Al asked.

"That is correct, Alphonse Elric." The woman said before turning her eyes on Ed again. "My name is Dante." She cocked her head to the side. "You look very much like your father Edward."

Ed gritted his teeth. "Cut the damn formalities. Where's Chloe?"

"Here." Dante mused. "Somewhere nice and safe so you two don't have a chance to grab her and take her with you before we have a nice little talk.

Ed resisted the urge to dive right into a fight. "Fine" he growled. "Let's talk."

* * *

"_Just do it." _Cara thought. _"Just stab the stupid girl! We don't need her anymore… Dante doesn't need her anymore."_

But memories and emotions were probing at her conscious. She clenched the knife in her hand where it was poised to stab the unconscious girl in the back. "I…" she closed her eyes. "God damn it. Why can't I do it? I don't _care _about her anymore!"

But the kid looked so defenseless. There had been a time when that had bothered her, she knew. A time when she felt like she had to _protect _Chloe instead of kill her. But it was different now. Why could she just do the damn job?

Cara hovered indecisively for a moment. "Damn it!" she finally snapped, sliding the knife violently back into her belt. She spun around, heading towards the ballroom.

"Stupid brat."

* * *

**_Onto the next chapter... oh this should be interesting._**

**_Cara: We'll pray for you_**

**_Chloe: And ourselves._**

**_Envy: Because we don't trust you one bit._**

**_Thanks guys..._**

**_Ed: REVIEW!_**


	37. Chapter 36: Rekindled Flame Part 1

**_Guess who?_**

**_Cara: Oh hello lovely authoress who abandon us for so long._**

**_Chloe: How nice of you to drop by._**

**_Ok, I know, I know, it's been eons since my last update because I knew this would be a hard chapter but since it's a pivotal moment I had to get it right so it took a lot longer!_**

**_Ed: Excuses._**

**_Hey, It's a 4,000 word chapter and a song fic with several fight scenes and pivotal events that happen. IT TOOK AWHILE!_**

**_Envy: Excuse the authoress' lateness._**

**_Al: And REVIEW!_**

Everyone was already in attendance when Cara dropped into the room from the rafters. When she landed next to Envy, Ed and Al's reactions were immediate.

"YOU!"

"Don't act so surprised guys, I do _live _here." Cara rolled her eyes.

"You're late." Dante said.

"I had to take care of something." Cara shrugged nonchalantly. "I'm here now aren't I?"

"Where's Chloe?" Ed demanded.

Cara forced her face to remain blank. "Where I left her probably."

Al made a sound that sounded like an angry hiss. "Did you hurt her?"

Cara didn't answer him. She just brushed her bangs from her face and looked away.

Ed gritted his teeth and clenched his hand into a fist. "Never mind. We'll find Chloe in a minute Al. Right now we have to deal with these guys."

"Deal with us?" Envy looked amused. "_Right_. You're going to deal with seven immortals all by yourself then?"

"That's a bit ambitious don't you think?" Dante smirked.

"Maybe." Ed said. "But I don't really care _how _ambitious I'm being when I'm this PISSED!" He slammed his hands against the ground and sent a series of stone spears flying in Dante's direction. Dante merely clapped her hands together and held her palm in front of her. The spears disintegrated to dust.

"Don't get too ahead of yourself." Dante said. "I'd think you'd ask more questions before you try to tear us to shreds."

"I've got plenty of questions but somehow, you being so secretive, I doubt you'll answer them." Ed said, straightening.

"Try me." Dante said.

"Alright, fine." Ed took a step forward. "What is this city? Why is it that you're _using _us to do your dirty work? How long have you been controlling the whole military through _him_?" He stabbed a finger in the Fuhrers direction. "And what the hell does Hoenhiem have to do with all of this?"

"Noisy, isn't he." Lust raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, very." Cara nodded.

"This city is the remains of a very old civilization that once stood where Central stands today." Dante said. "The fabled lost city of the east."

"And what happened to it?" Ed asked.

"It's inhabitants were used." Dante smiled "And the buildings were pulled underground as if nothing had ever happened."

"Used." Al repeated. "Y-you mean you used hundreds of people to create a philosopher's stone!"

"More like several thousands really." Dante said. "But yes."

"What kind of monsters…" Ed whispered. "Could do something like that?"

"Those who have an ultimate goal that requires the sacrifice." Dante said simply. "As for how long I've been controlling the military, ever since he rose to power." She looked at Pride. "He is my most successful creation. A homunculus who ages and appears to be a normal human. Definetly my most valuable asset." Cara glanced at Envy. His face was still vacant but she saw his shoulders tense. Dante looked back at the brothers. "I guess I've been in control of the military for thirty five years."

Ed and Al seemed outraged by this prospect. "Then that means… _you're _the one who ordered the Ishbal extermination."

"Yes, I did." Dante flicked her hair out of her face with a jerk of her head. "And the squelching of those rebellions in Lior."

"Lior?" Ed's eyes widened. Cara wasn't sure what the city meant to him but she could see the rage.

"One topic at a time." Dante smirked. "You asked also about my reasons for using you."

"And about Hoenhiem." Ed said.

"Yes, yes." Dante nodded. "You'll find the answers are rather interconnected. I've been watching both of you for awhile now, even before you became alchemists of the state. That is how I knew your mother had died and you had turned her into a homunculus." Ed flinched but Dante continued on mercilessly. "You have skills beyond many alchemists because you've seen the truth."

"And you were so foolish as to join the state and become our easily moveable pawns." Pride added.

"Yes, but that was only part of my reasoning. Things were made much easier by these factors but much of my choosing you did have to do with Hoenhiem of Light."

There was a brief silence throughout the room as Dante let the dramatic tension hang in the air. Al was the first to speak.

"So… what did he have to do with all this?"

"I'll tell you a story." Dante said, twirling her hair about her finger as if she were a young girl. "A story of over four hundred years ago. You see I'm much older than I look."

"Really, and you don't look a day over a hundred and fifty." Ed muttered. Cara covered up a smirk with her hand. "Alright, tell me."

"Four hundred years ago Hoenhiem and I were both very interested in the production of the philosophers stone. We researched it extensively until we found a proper opening to test our theories. By using the prisoners of the witch trials. There were hundreds, maybe even thousands of them at our disposal. Hoenhiem of Light carried out the transmutation."

Ed gritted his teeth but did not interrupt the story.

"The power of the transmutation sapped his strength however, though it succeeded. His body was failing so I used the stone to attach his soul to the body of another man, saving his life. It was through this desperation that we both discovered a way to live forever, both as the most powerful alchemists in the world. We were together." She smirked at Ed's disgusted expression. "But something happened I'm afraid and he left me."

"Couldn't have been your charming personality then could it?" Ed asked.

"Oh no, it had nothing to do with me." Dante shook her head. "But I resented it none the less. When I got wind of him I wasn't keen to let him out of my sight. I kept an eye on your family. I saw him when he left but lost track of him after that." She smiled. "As you can see, Hoenhiem's involvement and yours are interconnected."

"You knew where Hoenhiem was?" Envy hissed suddenly. "And you didn't tell me?"

Dante frowned and looked at Envy. "This isn't the time. Be quiet."

Cara saw Envy's fists clench at his sides. He looked like he wanted to punch Dante but he didn't.

"So, I've answered your questions." Dante said, turning back to Ed. "Now I have one simple request for you."

"You want me to create a philosopher's stone." Ed said. "So you can keep jumping bodies. But I won't do it."

"We kidnapped your friend for a reason Edward." Dante shook her head. "You don't have a choice."

"Bring her out then." Ed growled.

"No need." Dante said. "Another bit of leverage is inches from my finger tips."

She snapped her fingers. Immediately Lust lunged of Al. The armor barely managed to dodge her fingers but the distraction allowed Gluttony to tackle him to the ground and pin him there.

"AL!" Ed cried, trying to run to him but Envy surged forward and rammed his fist into Ed's stomach. Ed sank to his knees gasping for breath.

"You will agree to help me Edward." Dante said. "Or I will kill your brother here…" Lust kicked of Al's helmet and positioned one sharp finger nail at his seal. "And I will also kill your friend. No exceptions. No loop holes. You help me or they die."

"I don't see a circle here." Ed growled.

"Of course you don't, the circle is currently in development at Lior." Dante said. "I need your agreement here."

"Lior. Who?" Ed demanded.

"That scarred Ishballan." Dante said.

"Scar?" Ed asked. "He would never agree to help you!"

"His assistance is unintentional but it helps us none the less." Dante said. "So Fullmetal alchemist. What will it be?"

Ed stared at the ground for a long time, his hair hanging in front of his eyes. "I think…" He unclenched his hands. "That you shouldn't have given me so long to think of a plan."

He clapped his hands together and slammed them against the ground. Simultaneous stone fists shout out of the ground and knocked both Lust and Gluttony across the room. Al scooped up his head and slapped it back on. Then he too clapped his hands together and pressed them against a transmutation circle he had drawn while no one was looking. A sword rose up from the ground and into his hand. Ed likewise called a long metal poll from the floor and the two brothers stood to face the homunculi.

"I see." Dante sighed before giving a nod.

Pride lunged at Al, his sword at the ready. It was only because of Al's hollow nature that he was fast enough to keep up with the Fuhrer. Envy meanwhile, took to fighting Ed.

"You should have just cooperated pipsqueak." He smirked. "Though I don't really mind. This means I get to knock you around."

"I wouldn't mind giving you a couple of bruises myself!" Ed launched a punch at Envy. The homunculus easily dodged him.

"I don't bruise pipsqueak! Bad news!"

"I'm sure if I hit you enough you will!" Ed stabbed out at him with the long metal pole in his hands. Envy jumped above the weapon and flipped over Ed's head, landing lightly in a crouch on the other side of him. He kicked Ed in the back and the younger boy stumbled forward but quickly spun himself around again in time to block Envy's next attack.

The other homunculi merely looked between each other and Dante, wondering if they should help or leave the boys to their brethren. All except Cara. Cara just stared.

* * *

"_Happiness is just a word to me_

_And it might have meant a thing or two_

_If I'd known the difference"_

* * *

Something stirred inside her frozen heart as she watched the fight. She knew that Ed and Al couldn't win. No matter how many hits they landed on their opponents, the homunculi would keep on coming. So why did this bother her? After all, she wanted Ed and Al to cooperate didn't she? Or if they didn't she shouldn't care if they died.

* * *

"_Emptiness, a lonely parody_

_And my life, another smokin' gun_

_A sign of my indifference"_

* * *

So what was it that swam in her chest? Panic? Panic for the brothers? It certainly wouldn't be panic for Envy or Pride because they could take care of themselves. There was something else. The desire to do something; to help.

* * *

"_Always keepin' safe inside_

_Where no one ever had a chance_

_To penetrate a break in"_

* * *

Cara shook her head, trying to rid herself of these desires. She was a homunculus. She was apathy. She shouldn't care about the brothers who were her enemies. Her enemies who had once been her friends. It seemed like centuries ago but she remembered that they were friends.

* * *

"_Let me tell you some have tried_

_But I would slam the door so tight_

_That they could never get in"_

* * *

The desires did not disappear. They were not in Cara's head where she had control but in her chest. In her heart and in the place where her soul should be. It was different from the stirring feelings she felt when she was angry, or the feelings she felt when she kissed Envy. She could only define it as need. Need to _do _something. And not for Dante either. For the brothers.

* * *

"_Kept my cool under lock and key_

_And I never shed a tear_

_Another sign of my condition"_

* * *

'_Stop it.' _Cara thought. _'Stop thinking like that. You are Apathy. Stop _caring_! You need more stones."_

Another voice echoed in her head. One that she knew was hers a long time ago, but had long faded. _"I don't _want _more stones. I hate being used as a puppet. Screw this. I still haven't cured my attacks. This is completely useless!"_

* * *

"_Fear of love or bitter vanity_

_That kept me on the run_

_The main events at my confession"_

* * *

"Apathy?" Lust's voice jerked her out of her thoughts. "Something wrong?"

"Nothing." Cara lied. "Nothing at all."

* * *

"_I kept a chain upon my door_

_That would shake the shame of Cain_

_Into a blind submission"_

* * *

Ed was getting tired. It was apparent he had already been hit several times by Envy and Envy was not tiring out at all.

"You're slowing down pipsqueak." Envy dodged Ed's fist and sent a round house kick to his face. Ed landed hard on the ground, a pained groan escaping his mouth. He tried to get up but Envy pinned him to the ground, wrapping his hands tight around his throat. "You should have cooperated."

"You're better off dead if you do not." Dante said simply. It was an order. It was an order to Envy. "There are plenty of other alchemists I can use. Scar being chief among them. I gave you your chance."

Cara knew Envy would snap Ed's neck right there. But at that point a familiar voice echoed throughout the huge room.

"YOU LEAVE THEM ALONE!"

Someone flew from the rafters and propelled themselves into Envy with a force that sent him flying off. He rolled a few times before coming up in a crouch, a snarl on his lips. Meanwhile Chloe straightened, positioning herself between Ed and him. She had a look of pure fury in her unseeing eyes. "No one touches my friends."

* * *

"_The burning ghost without a name_

_Was calling all the same_

_But I wouldn't listen"_

* * *

"_She did this for you once too." _The voice that had once belonged to Cara said. _"Remember? Her loyalty. She cared about you."_

"_I need no one to care about me" _Apathy insisted.

"_You're so full of it. Of course you do." _Cara said. _"I realized that, so why the hell won't you?"_

"_You're different from me."_

"_I AM you, you idiot!"_

* * *

"_The longer I'd stall_

_The further I'd crawl_

_The further I'd crawl_

_The harder I'd fall_

_I was crawlin' into the fire"_

* * *

"You little…" Envy stood, his eyes narrowed. "That was a bad idea little blind girl."

Chloe slammed her foot against the ground. A stone spear rose up from the floor and into her hand. She pointed her weapon at Envy with grim determination. "I don't think so"

"How did she get out?" Dante asked coolly, turning her gaze on Cara.

"Don't look at me." Cara said. "I had nothing to do with it." Over Dante's shoulder Cara saw Wrath shift uncomfortably but she chose to ignore it.

Dante looked back at Envy. "You have my permission to kill her Envy."

"No!" Al cried, but he was too engaged in his fight with Pride to come to Chloe's aid.

"I'll be fine Al!" Chloe's hands clenched on her spear and her eyes narrowed. Her eyes were so filled with anger she looked like she might start crying. But she didn't. She held her ground. Cara thought this was a stupid move. A stupid, brave, move.

"_She would do that for you too." _The voice echoed in her head. _"She cared so much for you. She still does."_

"_No she doesn't." _the voice of Apathy returned. _"No one should care for me after what I did."_

"_But she does all the same."_

"_Naïve, innocent, brat."_

* * *

"_The more that I saw_

_The further I'd fall_

_The further I'd fall_

_The lower I'd crawl"_

* * *

Envy smirked and held his arm out to the side. The appendage melted into a wickedly sharp blade. "Do your worst little blind alchemist."

"Oh I will." Chloe lifted her foot and slammed it against the ground. A series of stone spikes shot from the floor and flew at Envy. He leapt into the air, flipping over each one, before landing lightly on his feet and charging towards Chloe. She sent yet another projectile his way but he just moved to the side and kept coming.

Chloe seemed to realize that once Envy got too close to her, she wouldn't be in good shape so she pressed both hands against the ground. A stone pillar shot up under her feet and carried her into the air. She used the momentum to propel herself onto the rafters, high above Envy's head. Then she pressed her hand to the roof and sent a rocky shower down on him from above. Envy danced out of the way of each one before he too lept for the rafters. His hand caught one beam and he easily swung himself up.

"Taking the high ground won't help you." Envy said. "Your domain is the floor, little blind girl."

"My domain is wherever I have a solid ground." Chloe tapped her foot, sending a crack through the rafters. The beam where Envy was standing broke in two and it was only his speed that saved him from a very far plunge. He grabbed another rafter and swung himself onto it.

"Nice try."

"Thanks!" Chloe created another spear from the roof and hurled it at Envy. He caught the shaft in his hand and spun it around to face her.

"You can only avoid the confrontation so long."

Chloe's lip curled in a way that reminded Cara very much of herself. "Screw you, _palm tree_!"

Envy snarled and lunged forward.

It was a precarious situation they were in, fighting on the rafters. For one thing they had to balance and keep from plunging to the ground. For another thing they had to avoid getting skewered. High above, Cara could see the fight was intense and several times she saw Chloe almost fall, only to catch herself with a new rocky platform. She had gotten much quicker and more dangerous in her alchemy, so much so that she was actually managing to hold her own against Envy.

"_It won't last." _Apathy's voice thought.

"_Oh stop being so negative. Chloe always hated it when you did that." _Cara's voice said.

"_Shut the fuck up."_

* * *

"_I kept fallin' into the fire_

_Into the fire_

_Into the fire"_

* * *

Then Chloe made a misstep, her foot dropping off the rafter. She wobbled unsteadily and before she could regain her balance, Envy knocked her in the stomach with his spear and sent her flying off of the edge.

"Chloe!" Ed clapped his hands together and pressed them against the ground. A stone hand rose up and caught Chloe before she could take too far a fall. Obviously winded the girl scrambled up, gasping a quick. "Thanks Ed." Before sliding back down to the ground. She looked around for her spear and spotted it sitting on the other side of the room.

Cara knew she probably could have just made another spear, but for some reason Chloe didn't think of that. She just ran for her old weapon. It was that miscalculation that cost her the fight. Because at that moment Envy dropped down in front of her and kneed her in the stomach. Chloe gasped and dropped to her knees, curling in on herself.

"You're just not fast enough kid." Envy said. "None of you humans are."

Chloe rolled away from him and scrambled to her feet trying to run but Envy was already there. He kicked her in the chest with a force that sent her flying across the room. She smacked into the wall and Cara was sure she heard a bone crack. She definitely saw a bit of blood fly from Chloe's open mouth. She could see the girl's eyes water in pain but she didn't have the breath to cry out.

"_She's going to die." _Cara wasn't sure which voice in her head thought that one. Maybe it was both. Maybe it was just hers. Either way a sense of panic came with that statement. And the burning feeling in her chest amplified. She had to _do _something.

"Kill her and be done with it Envy." Dante said.

"No!" Ed tried to run to her but Sloth was quick to block his path, encasing his body in water and holding him in place. Pride likewise blocked Al's path and no matter how hard the armor tried to reach Chloe he always ended up going a step backward instead of forward. Chloe tried to raise herself but she only ended up collapsing again. When she coughed, blood spattered the ground.

* * *

"_Suddenly it occurred to me_

_The reason for the run and hide_

_Had totaled my existence"_

* * *

Images started flashing rapidly through Cara's head as Envy approached Chloe. Images that had for a long time carried no emotion. No feelings. Now they suddenly had a meaning again. Images of Chloe protecting Cara from Scar, coming to her aid at the fifth lab. Images of Chloe laughing and smiling, trying to counter Cara's cynicism. Images of Chloe that were accompanied by so many good feelings.

* * *

"_Friends. We were friends."_

"_Everything left on the other side_

_Could never be much worse that this_

_But could I go the distance?"_

* * *

There were other images too, images that were now newly coupled with emotions. Ed being ornery, Al laughing, Winry smiling a serving tea, Hughes… Hughes with his daughter, Hughes smiling at Cara as he talked with her, the music box that Cara once loved so much. She saw all of them and cared again. She remembered how much she cared though she had tried desperately to hide it. And suddenly the red stones were the only thing that meant nothing to her. This twisted immortality was the only thing she felt Apathy for. It wasn't really helping her at all. She still had the attacks. She was still truly dead. Why had she ever wanted the red stones so badly?

"_I faced the door and all my shame_

_Tearin' off each piece of chain_

_Until they all were broken"_

* * *

"_There's got to be another way. And even if there isn't I don't care_."

* * *

"_But no matter how I tried_

_The other side was locked so tight_

_That door, it wouldn't open"_

* * *

Cara's voice had longed drowned out Apathy's. Apathy wasn't even there anymore. Cara found her hands clenching at her sides.

* * *

"_Gave it all that I got_

_And started to knock_

_Shouted for someone_

_To open the lock_

_I just gotta get through the door"_

* * *

Envy tossed away his spear and let his arm morph into a blade again. He was just a foot from Chloe now, looking down on her, fully prepared to end her life. He raised the blade. Chloe closed her eyes in defeat.

* * *

"_And the more that I knocked_

_The hotter I got_

_The hotter I got_

_The harder I'd knock_

_I just gotta break through the door"_

* * *

Envy's blade met metal instead of flesh. His eyes widened as he saw Cara suddenly standing in front of him, one knife raised over her head, deflecting the blade that had been aimed for Chloe's neck. She looked up at him with a renewed fire in her gold eyes.

* * *

"_Gotta knock a little harder_

_Gotta knock a little harder_

_Gotta knock a little harder_

_Break through the door"_

* * *

A fire that had been rekindled when Cara returned.

* * *

"_Gotta knock a little harder_

_Gotta knock a little harder_

_Gotta knock a little harder_

_Break down the door" -Yoko Kanno_

* * *

_**That song was Gotta knock a little Harder by Yoko Kanno. it's from the anime Cowboy Bebop and it fits Cara's situation perfectly.**_

_**Cara: my situation depressingness.**_

_**Yep. Now I promise to update with part two of this chapter sooner than the last time.**_

_**CHloe: SO basically if you update in under a century then we're good.**_

_**Shut up. REVIEW!**_


	38. Chapter 37: Rekindled Flame part 2

**_Hey look, I'm actually updating in just two weeks instead of several months._**

**_Cara: Call CNN_**

**_Shut up. You shouldn't even know what that is._**

**_Chloe: REVIEW!_**

A long silence filled the room, following the clash of Envy's blade on Cara's knives. For awhile everyone just stared. Dante, the other homunculi, Ed and Al, even Chloe managed to open her eyes in her half consciousness to see. Envy stared too, his violet eyes filled with surprise, and Cara stared right back. Her eyes were filled with a fire she didn't remember possessing. She felt _alive_. Not like a cold apathetic shell. Her whole insides were burning in a _good _way.

"_Why did I ever leave this?" _Cara wondered.

She shoved Envy back a few steps so that he was a safer distance away from her, then lowered her knives to her sides.

"You don't touch her." She found herself saying. "You don't touch her and you certainly don't kill her."

"Cara." She heard Chloe murmur in a barely audible voice. It was a voice filled with elation, coupled with pain and exhaustion. She was an inch from unconsciousness but Cara could hear a smile in her voice.

Cara swallowed down the feeling of guilt and kept her attention on Envy.

"I knew it would come to this." Dante finally spoke. "Your betrayal. You always seemed so resistant to authority. To being controlled. It comes from how tainted you became spending time among humans."

"If you knew it would come to this then why did you ever take me on?" Cara asked. "Why didn't you just kill me when you had the chance?"

"I wanted to use you for as long as I could." Dante said. "To mess with the brothers. It makes no difference, now."

"I'm stronger than I was." Cara said.

Dante smiled, patronizingly. "Like I said. It makes no difference." She looked at Envy. "Kill her."

Cara met Envy's eyes. "So go ahead, try me."

Envy's eyes narrowed. "You're being an idiot Apathy."

Cara smirked. "My name is Cara. So refer to me by that." With that she lunged at Envy, her knives out to her sides and at the ready. Envy barely managed to block both strikes with his blade on, but soon after the hesitation vanished from his eyes and he fought back at full force. Cara tried to dodge as much as possible both those strikes that she blocked rattled her. Envy was still much stronger than her and in the back of her mind she knew her speed would only stall for so long.

Ed and Al started to fight again too, Ed against Sloth and Wrath and Al against Pride again. Lust seemed to be watching Cara and Envy's fight with confusion as if she wasn't sure whose side she should be on. Gluttony stood beside Lust looking up at her in concern so he too did not join the fight. Dante watched Envy and Cara, evidentially hoping to see Cara's blood on the ground sooner than later.

"It's been awhile since you've had the stones." Envy said, swinging his blade at Cara's neck.

Cara jumped out of the way and landed gracefully in a crouch. "I know and I feel _great_!" She drew a smaller dagger from her boot and threw it at Envy. He moved his head to the side and let the blade soar past.

"Regardless of that, you're bound to have an attack soon." He stabbed forward. She twisted around him and aimed a strike for the back of his neck. He blocked her.

"True." Cara said. "But I'm working on being more positive so I'm going to ignore that."

"You know what that means also." Envy said, kicking out at her side. Cara barely back up out of range.

"No, what?" She asked.

"It means if I hit you, you die. You're not going to heal." Envy's face looked surprisingly grim.

"I thought that was the goal." Cara said.

"It is, that doesn't mean I have to like it." He hissed, lunging at her again.

"Oh really?" Cara danced out of the way. "If you don't like it, there's a simple solution."

"What's that?"

"Don't kill me."

"It's not that simple."

Cara laughed and jumped backwards out of his way again as he tried to slash her across the chest. "Anything that can be explained in three words is simple. You're just overcomplicating it in your head."

"You're more annoying when you're not on the stones."

"I know! I _love _it!"

Despite the lack of red stones, Cara felt surprisingly good throughout the course of the fight. She knew that an attack would inevitably come but right now she was just _enjoying _herself. She saw no way that she could escape her fate. But she didn't care. At least she was feeling something. Something good. Happiness, joy, _elation_ were emotions she never felt very much through her whole life. But she loved to feel them. They made her feel free.

More free than the red stones had ever made her feel.

She wasn't sure how long she fought Envy. She didn't care. All she could do was live moment to moment, second to second. She knew that she didn't have many left. It astounded her how much she didn't care though.

"_Like Apathy in a good way." _Cara mused. _"I'm still Apathy. I always was Apathy… just a little less bitchy and less tolerant of puppetry." _She smiled to herself. _"Or maybe I just never stopped being Cara. That sounds a lot better."_

Envy stabbed out at her again and she cart wheeled out of the way. She reached into her boot and drew out another small dagger. Her aim was improved this time as the blade sunk into Envy's shoulder. He hissed, grabbed the blade and yanked it out.

"You've gotten better."

"I had a lot of time practicing on attacking you." Cara said. "Or just attacking helpless trees. I think anger restricts my fighting though. Look how good I am when I'm hysterically happy! I should have thought of this before."

"…Uh huh." Envy gave her a look before hurling her dagger at her face. She ducked and ran at Envy again.

"I can't believe this is happening." Cara thought she heard Ed mutter as Envy and her fight passed his by.

"_Neither can I_." Cara thought. _"God I have no idea what's wrong with me right now. Or what's right with me. I don't know anything and its great!"_

It was a long time before the pain finally hit, as Cara knew it would. It shot through her system like an electrical shock, freezing her body on the spot as it was enveloped in pure pain. This was one of the harshest most intense attacks she had ever experienced. Why? Shouldn't she be getting better after being on the stones? Had she gotten worse anyway?

"_Maybe I'm suffering from withdrawals." _Cara thought, in a darkly humorous way.

Regardless of why it was happening, it gave Envy the opportunity to knock her back into the wall with his flesh arm. The hit hadn't been as hard as the one Chloe took but it still left Cara breathless and in even more pain.

Cara shook as the attack racked her body, waiting it out with grim determination. She wondered why Envy didn't just go ahead and kill her while she was down. Sure that wasn't exactly fair but, hey, Envy didn't exactly delve in equality.

But he didn't attack her. He just stood staring at her blankly as she shook and made an effort to restrain her cries of pain from slipping through her clenched teeth.

"Cara!" She thought she heard Al cry. "Ed! Cara's having an attack!"

"Yes she is." Dante smirked. "This is what happens if you just stop taking the stones Apathy. Your body doesn't respond well."

"Yeah no _shit_." Cara managed to mutter though she doubted Dante could hear her.

Finally the pain subsided and Cara lay, panting on the ground, sweat beading her forehead. Miraculously she was still conscious and didn't feel like she had been hit by a truck. She might be able to get back up and fight again if she had a few minutes to catch her breath. At the very least she could use her power to attack Envy with so metal beams. Then she would just have to use her hands.

But that was if she was given a few minutes and right now it looked like that was too much time to ask for.

"Kill her Envy." Dante said. "She's useless to me now. She only gets in the way. Kill her and then the blind girl. Then we'll see how resistant the Fullmetal Alchemist is."

"Useless are you sure?" Envy asked.

"Of course." Dante waved her hand. "She was a puppet Envy. When the strings are cut there's no sense in keeping a puppet. You might as well do away with it."

Something dawned on Cara. An idea. An idea that might result in her survival if only for a little while longer.

"We're all just puppets." She murmured so only Envy could hear her. "You heard it right from her mouth. You know she wasn't just talking about me."

Envy looked down at her, doubt flitting across his face. As if he thought she might be right. Then his eyes narrowed. "I'm not a puppet." He whispered.

"Kill her Envy." Dante ordered.

A slow smirk spread across Cara's face. "Prove it."

It was a challenge. And Cara knew that Envy wasn't one to back down from that, especially if it concerned his pride. It was a long shot. Envy had been with Dante for four hundred years but Cara saw how annoyed Envy would get with her. He was tired of being ordered around too.

Who wouldn't be after four hundred years?

"Envy." Dante said, in her voice was a warning.

Cara stared Envy down, trying to convey all that needed to be said in her gaze. _"Just watch_." She tried to say. _"You refuse. You don't kill me and she will turn on you. She will have the others kill you. It doesn't matter if you've been loyal to her for four hundred years. One betrayal and she will end you. You know that."_

Their stare was held for only a few seconds but Cara saw understanding pass through Envy's eyes. He remembered the conversation they had, as irritating as it had been for him. He knew.

He lowered his blade arm and let it melt back into flesh. Then he turned around to face Dante. "You know, I don't think I want to."

Shock was evident over Dante's face. For a moment she could only stare at Envy. _Everyone _could only stare at Envy. Lust's eyes were as wide and interested as Cara had ever seen them and Gluttony's large jaw had dropped. Wrath's eyes were practically bulging. And who could blame them. They all thought that Envy and Cara hated each other.

Which… they _did… _sort of. Cara wasn't quite sure where they stood at this point. It was complicated.

Dante seemed to take a moment to piece this together. "Are you defying me?"

"If that's how you want to put it." Envy said evenly.

There was another long silence. Ed and Al looked between each other, clearly thinking _"What the Hell is going on?"_

Finally Dante narrowed her eyes. "Then you are only a hindrance."

Cara grinned tiredly. "Bingo."

Envy's eyes narrowed. "Am I?"

"Yes." Dante looked at the other homunculi. "Focus your attack on him."

The homunculi didn't move for a moment. All of them seemed confused. Next to Dante, Envy was technically the highest in the food chain. Most of them took orders off of Envy, except for Pride who took orders directly from Dante and Sloth who followed Pride. They were confused by this sudden turn of events and they didn't know how to act. Lust and Gluttony in particular.

"You heard me!" Dante shouted, very much losing her cool.

Pride abandoned Al as his target and turned towards Envy. "You fool." He said.

"Fool? Look who's talking." Envy sneered. "When you let yourself be led around yourself and you call yourself _Pride_."

That seemed to be all the encouragement Pride needed to lunge at Envy. That was when the room sort of exploded into activity. Al, now free of an opponent, ran to Chloe followed closely by Ed who had managed to get away from Sloth in her confusion.

"Chloe?" Al called.

"She's unconscious." Ed said. "And I saw her cough up blood. She might be seriously hurt."

"We need to get her out of here."

"Sloth!" Dante called.

Ed turned in time to see Sloth lunging towards him. He and Al split, Al quickly scooping Chloe up in his arms as he did.

"Shit!" Ed cursed.

"You won't escape." Sloth said, looking between the two boys. "I won't allow it." Then she shot her watery arm towards Al and Chloe, probably intent on snatching the smaller girl right out of his arms and drowning her.

With a yell, Cara managed to push herself to her feet and lunge at Sloth, tackling her from behind and sending her face first to the ground. Sloth struggled but Cara managed to keep her pinned, though she knew that wouldn't last.

"Cara." Ed still looked stunned that Cara had returned to her old self.

"Just go." Cara growled.

"But what about-" Al started.

"Go!" She snapped. "I can take care of myself. Go to one of the smaller cities between Central and the East. I'll find you there."

Ed looked like he wanted to ask more questions, a lot more questions. Instead he just nodded. "Right. Come on Al." He started to run before he looked back at her. "If this is some kind of cheap stunt I'm going to kill you."

"Yeah, we'll figure that out later. Now scram!" Cara jerked her head in the direction of the exit.

They ran, carrying Chloe with them. It was only when they had made it out the doors that Cara was tackled off of Sloth by a familiar kid.

"Don't hurt my mommy!" Wrath yelled, but his voice was quivering. Cara knew that Wrath liked her and was confused by what was going on. He didn't want to attack her.

He didn't have a choice.

"Very good Wrath." Sloth said, getting to her feet and aiming a jet of water at Cara. Cara rolled out of the way.

"I can take both of you any day." Cara said, spinning her knives in her hands. "Come on!"

Cara wasn't sure how, but somehow Envy and her ended up back to back, fighting. He against Pride, Cara against Wrath and Sloth.

"What are the chances for success here?" Cara asked.

"Minimal for you. I could probably make it out ok." Envy said lightly, blocking a downward strike from Pride's sword.

"Wonderful . Duck." They both ducked under a particularly powerful water whip from Sloth. "So do you have any plans? That would be preferable. Usually I just like charging into a situation without thinking but I'm thinking I'll make an exception."

"Nothing comes to mind."

"Great."

Cara raised one hand towards the ceiling. She felt her powers lock onto several of the metal beams that had already been weakened by Chloe and Envy's fight. Then she glanced apologetically at Wrath. "Sorry kid."

"Wha…?" He looked confused. Cara jerked down as hard as she could with her hand and mind. There was a shriek as several of the beams tore free and flew down at Sloth and Wrath. There were cries of pain as they were crushed beneath the heavy fixtures.

"That takes care of them temporarily." Cara said.

Envy smirked and nodded his approval. "Very nice." He ducked under Pride's sword again, cursing as he back quickly out of the way.

"By temporarily I mean we probably have about a minute to figure out an escape plan.

"Easier said than done."

"I figured that."

Envy cursed as his foot slipped on a shard of debris and he fell to the ground. Pride allowed himself a grin and raised his sword.

The blade never hit Envy, and even if it had, it wouldn't have done much damage. But never the less Lust had still decided to step between them, parrying Pride's strike with her long nails.

"Lust?" Envy stared at her.

"Both of you get out. I'll handle things here." Lust said grimly.

"What?" Cara stared at her. "You can't be serious."

Lust smiled. "Unfortunately I am." She threw off Pride and he stumbled back several feet. She looked back at Envy. "Promise me one thing. If I'm still alive after all of this… come back for me."

Envy said nothing for a moment before he nodded and got to his feet. "I owe you one Lust."

"Yes, you do." She agreed.

"Move" Envy said. "This way."

Cara cast Lust one more glance before she ran as fast as she could after Envy.

* * *

**_Yep. Epic fight scenes galore!_**

**_Envy: And i switched sides._**

**_Cara: Again._**

**_Chloe: REVIEW!_**


	39. Chapter 38: Rain and Tears

**_Hey guys. I'm still continuing. Sorry I'm bogged under a hell storm of homework._**

**_Cara: But enough of pointless excuses!_**

**_HEY!_**

**_Chole: Enjoy!_**

They just kept on running.

Envy was leading the way and Cara allowed herself to blindly follow. All she wanted was to get as far away from the homunculi as she possibly could. When they broke to the surface they still didn't stop. People on the street stopped to stare as they zipped by at an impossible speed.

They reached the outskirts of Central by the time another attack swept over Cara and she cried out, falling to her knees. Envy skidded to a stop.

"Little devil?"

"I'm… fine." Cara muttered, gritting her teeth.

"Right."

He waited until the pain left her and her body relaxed. Then he sighed. "Now that you're off the red stones those attacks are going to get worse."

"I know." Cara looked up at him. "So was I right or was I right?"

Envy leaned back against a tree. "You sure went to a Hell of a lot of trouble to prove your point."

"Oh that wasn't on purpose." Cara sat up. "It just kind of worked in with my foolish impulse."

"Your foolish impulse of saving the blind girl?" Envy raised an eyebrow. "Yes, that wasn't one of your best ideas."

"Couldn't help it. Something snapped." Cara shrugged. "I never stopped liking that kid. I just convinced myself I didn't. When I'm on the stones, lying to myself is easier." She shook her head. "But I was kidding myself. Suddenly I was remembering my more human experiences again, and this time with emotions. I couldn't stand by."

"Yeah, well." Envy brushed his hair out of his face. "You caused a hell of a lot of trouble for me."

"Yeah…" There was a long silence before Cara looked at him. "Why did you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Not kill me." Cara said. "I know it was my challenge but… I didn't really expect you to take it though. To not kill me."

"Dante's been getting on my nerves for awhile anyway." Envy said after a pause. "And she didn't tell me she knew where Hoenhiem was. It wasn't just you." He looked at her. "But… part of it was that… I didn't really want to kill you."

Cara's mouth twitched.

Envy strode over to her and held out his hand. "Get up. We have to keep going before the others find us."

Cara took the offered hand and he pulled her to her feet. "I need to find the brothers and Chloe."

Envy sighed. "So I figured. Do you have any idea where they are?"

"A small village between Central and the East."

"Which one?"

"…I just gave you all the information I have."

Envy smacked a hand to his forehead. "Great, that's a lot to work with."

"I was trying to keep Sloth on the ground at the time. I didn't have a mind for details." Cara reminded him. "Look, you can stay out of it. I know you hate the pipsqueak's guts. And they hate you."

"True." Envy agreed. "I'll go in the same direction with you. But when you find them I'll stay back. Deal?"

"Alright. Let's go." Cara nodded.

* * *

"_I close my eyes and I keep seeing things_

_Rainbow waterfalls_

_Sunny liquid dreams"_

* * *

"She's still not up." Al's voice was borderline desperate. "Ed what if-"

"She's not dead!" Ed snapped. "She has a heartbeat."

"But it's serious. She probably has internal bleeding Ed!" Al said. "We need to find a doctor. Anyone. I definitely heard bones crack when Envy kicked her into that wall."

Ed bit his lip. "Damn it. Alright." He stood. "Keep her here. I'm going to go see if I can find a doctor anywhere in this village. Stay with her."

"I will." Al lightly touched Chloe's forehead. "I wish I could tell if she were hot or cold Ed. So I could help in some way."

"She'll be fine." Ed said backing towards the door. "She'll… she'll be fine." Then he hurried out the door.

* * *

The village was small and lay just in between suburban and rural. There were plenty of houses but the roads were dirt. How would he find a doctor in a place like this?

Above him the sky rumbled. "Yeah that's just what I need." He muttered. "_Rain_."

He saw a flash of red to his right and he whirled. Cara was there, leaning against the wall of the alleyway, a hand over her chest. Her face was twisted in pain.

"Cara?"

She looked up, a grin tugging at her face. "Good, I found you." Her grin dissolved back into a grimace. "Took awhile."

Ed didn't say anything. He wasn't sure what he could say. He still wasn't sure whether or not this was real or just some cruel trick. Cara being back seemed too good to be true. And the whole concept of Cara had become a distant memory over these past few months. He had forgotten what having her around had been like.

He seemed to be recall it being unpredictable and annoying.

Then she had turned and Ed had accepted the fact that she would never come back though Al and Chloe still seemed keen on the idea of Cara being a different person than Apathy. Was she? Or was she the same either way. Was this just a façade?

* * *

"_Confusion creeps inside me raining doubt_

_Gotta get to you_

_But I don't know how"_

* * *

"Attack?" he finally asked lamely.

"Yeah, don't worry about it." Cara waved her hand dismissively.

"Weren't those stones supposed to help you?" Ed asked.

"Course they were. That's why I stopped taking them. Because they didn't work to my liking." Cara said. "Look, where's Chloe. Is she alright? Is she awake?"

The concern in her voice was evident though she seemed to being trying to mask it with a nonchalant tone.

That was typical Cara. Hiding her emotions. For once Ed was glad for this. He preferred her hiding her emotions to not having them at all.

"I…" He looked down at the ground. "No, she isn't. We're worried she might have internal bleeding of some sort."

Cara's face went blank and she nodded. "Guess I should have figured that."

Thunder rolled above them again.

"Where's Envy?" Ed asked.

"Around." Cara shrugged.

"So are you going to give me an explanation for what the hell happened back there?" Ed asked, his eye narrowing irritably.

Cara smirked slightly. "When do I ever?"

Ed shrugged. This was a good point. She usually vied never to give a proper explanation.

"I'm trying to find a doctor for Chloe. You can help if you want." Ed said.

"Yeah, ok." Cara said.

"You need a doctor?"

Both Cara and Ed jumped as a timid voice came from the street. They turned to see a girl, maybe about fourteen years old with brown hair pulled into two braids and bright green eyes. She was looking at Ed.

"You need a doctor?" She repeated.

"Yeah, for our friend." Ed said. "We think she's hurt badly. Internal bleeding. We need an alchemic doctor and quick."

"Internal bleeding huh." The girl bit her lip and reached into her pocket. "Let's see. I think I have enough for that."

"Enough of what?" Ed asked confused. The girl drew something bright and red from her pocket. Ed stared. "A philosopher's stone!"

"Shh." The girl warned, looking around for anyone who might have heard. "Keep your voice down." She looked back at Ed. "I've been using this thing for a few years now to help fix people up. I'm pretty good at it. If you let me take a look at your friend I think I have just enough power left in this thing to fix her."

"That's great." Ed grinned. "Thank you." He looked at Cara only to see that she was not grinning. She was staring in shock, her eyes glazed over. "Cara?"

"Cara?" The girl turned to look at the red head for the first time. A similar expression of shock crossed her face and her mouth opened to form a small 'o'. "Oh dear God." She managed to breathe after a pause. "Cara is that you?"

Cara managed a nod.

The girl threw herself at Cara and nearly knocked her over with an incredibly forceful hug. "Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god! Cara!"

Cara was stiff for a moment before she hesitantly returned the hug. "Ellen. It's… been awhile."

"Yeah, no duh it has!" Ellen pulled away. "It's so good to see you again." She swallowed hard. "We missed you. You just disappeared Cara, no notice or anything. Why?"

"What's going on?" Ed asked tentatively.

Cara looked Ellen in the eye. "It's a long story Ellen."

"I think I deserve to hear it."

"Not now."

"What's going on?" Ed repeated, this time more demanding.

Ellen and Cara seemed to remember that Ed existed at that moment. Cara sighed. "This is one of my younger, adopted twin sisters Ed."

Ed blinked. "Of all the coincidences."

Ellen gave Cara a hard stare. "You are going to give me an explanation Cara." She looked back at Ed. "But since your friend is in trouble I think that should be my first priority."

"Yeah, thanks." Ed nodded gratefully. "I mean I'm sure this a big deal and all but-"

"We'll have time later." Ellen said, casting Cara another glance. "Take me to see your friend. The sooner the better right?"

"Yeah." Ed nodded. "This way."

* * *

"_Call me call me_

_Let me know it's alright"_

* * *

Cara couldn't bring herself to go in with Ed and Ellen. Maybe it was because she didn't want to see Chloe on deaths door. Maybe it was because she didn't think she deserved to sit by her side, anxiously awaiting her healing. Ed and Al deserved that. They had stuck with her through all this time, taking her in when Cara abandon her. They didn't kick Chloe out just because Cara had suddenly left the scene. If anything they brought her closer.

They were good friends.

Cara's guilt held her back from the going inside the building where Ed and Al had taken up residence. Guilt held her back from even wanting to look at Chloe's face.

Cara knew that if she were to make things right again an apology was needed and Cara wasn't very good with those. Plus who was to say that Chloe would even accept the apology. Cara knew that if Chloe was smart she would tell Cara to get lost and never show her face again. At least Cara would do that if she were in the same position.

So instead she sat herself down in an abandon alleyway as it began to rain.

* * *

"_Call me call me_

_Don't you think it's 'bout time"_

* * *

"From what I can tell, it's the ribs." Ellen said. "I think that one of them snapped and must of caused the internal bleeding."

"How?" Al asked.

"The bone could have scraped a lung or just stabbed through an organ." Ellen said. "But if that's the case, I'll have to heal two things. First the bone and then the internal bleeding." She looked down at the small stone in her hand. "I don't know if I have enough for that."

"What happens if you don't?" Al asked.

"I'll have to heal the bones first or I can't heal the internal bleeding" Ellen said. "But if I run out of power then she'll still be stuck with internal bleeding."

"What if the bone just scraped her lung?" Ed asked.

"Then I can heal the internal bleeding first. Worst case scenario she'll keep her broken ribs." Ellen said. "If I heal internal bleeding first and the bone stabbed her lung then the bone will just get lodged. It's a gamble but it's your decision."

Ed and Al looked between each other.

"Um… which would you say is more likely?" Al asked.

"Based on the brake I think it's just a scrape." Ellen said. "But it wouldn't be unusual for it to be otherwise."

"We have to get the internal bleeding." Ed said. "Or we're screwed anyway."

"So what do you want me to do?" Ellen asked.

"Hope that it's just a scrape." Ed said. "And heal the internal bleeding first."

* * *

"_Please won't you come and_

_Ease my mind_

_Reasons for me to find you"_

* * *

The rain felt pleasantly cool on Cara's skin. She sat, looking up at the sky, letting the droplets fall freely on her face. It had been a long time since it had rained. She welcomed the weather. She really did love the rain.

She heard a soft thump beside her and she looked up to see Envy crouched a few feet from her.

"How's the kid?"

"Bad." Cara said. "We… found a doctor though so hopefully we'll be able to fix her up."

"Hopefully?" Envy repeated. "You're too doubtful to be hopeful."

Cara shrugged. "Yeah. I'm just scared I guess."

"That she'll die?"

"Well yeah." Cara tucked her hair behind her ear. "I'm dreading that it won't work and Chloe will die." She stared down at the ground. "And I'm dreading my encounter with her if she survives. My apology to her."

"Why's that?" Envy asked.

"I don't deserve to be forgiven for what I did to her. What I did to all of them. If they were smart they would kick me out, tell me to leave the country." Cara said. "But forgive me? That would be way too kind."

"Who knows?" Envy said. "But somehow, based on how much that kid likes _you _I doubt that's going to be the case."

Cara heard footsteps splashing through the puddles on the street. She looked up to see Ed round to corner. For a second he froze upon seeing Envy, a mixture of hatred and uncertainty passing over his face.

"Envy. What are you doing here?"

"It has nothing to do with you." Envy said coolly, his violet eyes narrowing.

"Right." Ed said, not bothering to hide the sarcasm in his voice.

Envy straightened, looking like he rather wanted to bash Ed's head against the wall.

"Just don't." Cara murmured. "Don't fight each other. We've had enough people getting hurt."

To her surprise they both listened.

* * *

"_Peace of mind_

_What can I do"_

* * *

Cara looked at Ed. "So?"

Ed eyed Envy suspiciously for a few more moments before he turned his attention on Cara.

"It's just a waiting game now."

Cara nodded and looked back up at the sky where the rain continued to fall. "I really like the rain. It's nice and cool, calming." She closed her eyes. "It distracts from all the shit that's going on in our lives."

A few tears slipped from beneath her eyelids, running unchecked down her cheeks. She was grateful for the rain as she cried. They disguised her weakness.

To Envy and Ed her tears would just be rain drops.

At least she hoped so.

* * *

"_To get me to you." –Call me Call me by Yoko Kanno_

**_Hooray for angst!_**

**_Cara: Screw you. THe depressing arc is supposed to be over._**

**_In my stories the depressing never completely leaves. It only take short breaks._**

**_Ed: No one likes you._**

**_Al: I do._**

**_Chloe: That's because you're nice like that Al._**

**_Envy: REVIEW!_**


	40. Chapter 39: Forgivness

_**I'm really proud of this chapter. It turned out really well.**_

_**Cara: it involves the dreaded Chloe and Cara conversation**_

_**Chloe: What will happen?**_

_**Envy: Oh the suspence.**_

_**Ed: REVIEW!**_

"_The stupid neither forgive nor forget; the naive forgive and forget; the wise forgive but do not forget." –Thomas S. Szsaz_

"I've done what I can." Ellen said, sitting down beside Cara where she sat just outside the small house. "All we can do is wait and see if she wakes up."

Cara nodded numbly.

Ellen bit her lip. "Why did you leave Cara?"

"Because I'm selfish." She said flatly.

"What were you being selfish about?" Ellen asked. "I thought you liked it with us. You grew up next to me like a sister. My older sister. Then you left. I don't understand why you couldn't have just left a note or something."

"I didn't want you to worry."

Ellen laughed. "First you left because you're selfish and then because you didn't want us to worry? Which one is it Cara?"

Cara's lip twitched. "Both actually." She sighed and leaned her head back against the wall. "I was dying. I didn't want any of you to know. So I left."

Ellen covered her mouth with her hand. "Wh-what?"

"You heard me: dying. I was incurable. So I left." Cara glanced at her. "It's as simple as that."

"So…" Ellen said slowly. "You're _not _dying anymore?"

"Oh no I'm still dying." Cara said bitterly. "And to add a cherry on top I also found out I'm not human either."

"Not… human?" Ellen was staring at her wide eyed.

"Nope." Cara said. "Turns out I'm a soulless monster. Ain't life great like that?"

"Cara don't do that." Ellen muttered.

"Do what?" Cara asked.

"Pretend stuff like that is just some joke when it's really hurting you."

Cara was silent at this. She stared at Ellen for a long time before turning her eyes back to the ground. "Since when did you get so insightful, kid?"

"Since I ran into the real world too." Ellen said. "You know what happened after you left? Mom died of disease and dad…" She bit her lip. "He died in a mining accident just a year ago. And I know there's something wrong with Jane because she doesn't get out of bed most days. She's so frail now." She stared at her hands. "Jake's always angry, always getting into fights. David is the only one holding us together now but I know it must be hard on him."

Cara didn't speak for a long time. She couldn't deny that this news about her old adoptive family send pangs of sadness through her. "With all of that shit happening, I'm sure you've lost any room to miss me."

"You'd be surprised." Ellen said.

The door opened at that moment and Al burst out. "Sh-she's awake! She's feeling better!" he jumped down the stairs and caught Ellen up in a hug. "Oh thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"Ack! I can't breathe!"

"Oops, sorry." Al dropped her. He fell to his knees in front of her, dipping his head. "I just, I don't know how we can repay you."

"I was happy to do it." Ellen said before glancing at Cara. "I'm going home now. They'll be wondering where I am." She started to walk away. Then she stopped and looked back over her shoulder. "You may not want to… you may have moved on from us. But if you find the time, stop by." She started walking again. "You're always welcome at home. At least with me you are."

Al stared after her. "What was she talking about?"

Cara shook her head. "Nothing." She looked up at Al. "So she's ok?" She tried to keep the utter relief out of her voice.

"Yes." Al nodded. "She asked for you Cara. She wants to see you."

Cara's heart dropped to somewhere in her stomach and she winced. "Oh. I… don't know about that."

"What do you mean?"

"I think I should just uh… leave now that she's ok." Cara stood. "I really don't deserve to keep tagging along with you guys. You're more of a friend to her now. I won't bother you guys anymore." She nodded her head. "I… should go."

"No." Al said, grabbing her arm as she tried to walk away. "You shouldn't."

"Al I betray Chloe. I doubt she wants to speak to me." Cara said.

"But she does." Al said firmly. "And after everything that happened you at least owe her a simple conversation."

Cara winced. He had a point.

"And as for not deserving to tag along with us…" Cara turned to see Ed leaning against the building. "Here's my verdict on it. If Chloe says you can stay then you can stay. She gets to make that call. Alright?"

Cara stared at Ed. "I can't believe you're both ok with this."

"We're not." Ed said. "But we think you're back to normal. Chloe will be our final judge of that. So get in there and see her."

Cara swallowed nervously but she nodded. "Fine. But don't expect this to go well."

"That all depends on you." Al pushed Cara up the stairs. "Go."

"Alright, alright." Cara faced the door. Going into the house and submitting herself to Chloe's judgment was the last thing she wanted to do now. But Al wasn't likely to let her escape so it didn't seem as if she had a choice.

She drew in a deep breath and admitted herself into the threshold.

Chloe was sitting up in bed when she entered, as if she had been waiting for her this whole time.

The girl had changed over the past few months. Her thin little body was more muscular from hard exercise and travel and her face seemed older too. Her eyes no longer carried the innocent gleam they once had. She had been aged by pain.

Yet her smile was the same. Still optimistic, still kind. It fascinated Cara that the girl could look like that when her betrayer entered the room. It fascinated Cara that Chloe still wanted anything to do with her.

"You feel more like yourself again." Chloe said.

"Do I?" Cara stared down at her feet. "I uh… didn't notice."

Chloe gave a small laugh and nodded at the chair that sat beside the bed. "Why don't you sit?"

Cara found it odd being told what to do by Chloe. A few months before it had been very different. Chloe always did what Cara said with unfailing loyalty. She followed Cara and though she questioned her decisions sometimes, she always helped her. Now as they faced each other, they seemed much like equals. Gone was the little girl Cara had found trying to steal from her stolen goods. No longer could Cara claim any sort of authority over her.

It felt so odd.

Cara sat in the chair, perching on the edge so she would be ready to get up and leave as soon as necessary.

Chloe didn't miss this.

"Stay awhile why don't you?" She smiled. "Don't act like you have to make an escape."

Cara slowly allowed herself to lean back in her chair.

They stayed like this for awhile in silence, Chloe staring into space with unseeing eyes and Cara staring intently at her hands. They both tried to speak at the same time.

"Look I-"

"Cara you-"

They both cut off. "Uh, you first." Cara said.

"No, no, go ahead." Chloe shook her head. "Say whatever you need to."

"I…" Cara bit her lip. "Chloe I don't want you to forgive me."

Surprise crossed Chloe's face. "Why?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Cara asked. "I don't _deserve _to be forgiven for what I did Chloe. I betray you and the brothers. It's as simple as that. I don't want you to forgive me."

"That's kind of silly." Chloe said. "You would have me bear a grudge for the rest of my life? That's not a great way to apologize to someone. By making them carry that burden."

Chloe still had a way with making her words sound much more intelligent then Cara's.

"I had you come in here with the intention of forgiving you Cara." Chloe said. "But before that I want to understand. I want to talk. I want to get the full gravity of the situation before I forgive you."

"Don't speak too soon." Cara muttered.

Chloe laughed. "Cara I'm _going _to forgive you and nothing you say will change that. But you can say what you want now before I do."

Cara shook her head. "You're still a naïve, smart ass shrimp."

"Ah, nice try but calling me names isn't going to change my mind." Chloe smirked. "I said I'm going to forgive you. I didn't say I was going to forget these past few months."

Cara blinked. "I don't get it."

"Forgiving and forgetting are different things Cara." Chloe said. "Now, you get to say why you turned to Dante's side."

"Why do you think?" Cara asked. "Because I was selfish and I wanted the stones."

"Because you wanted to cure yourself." Chloe nodded in an understanding way that made Cara want to grab her little shoulders and shake her. "I know that dying is your greatest fear Cara. And those stones bring out the worst in you, thus making you more selfish."

"And I took them willingly." Cara reminded her.

"Because you were afraid."

Cara opened her mouth to protest but quickly closed it again. She couldn't deny that.

"I consider you and Apathy different people Cara. You're back to normal again." Chloe said.

"They _aren't _different people Chloe." Cara said. "Apathy is me. We're the same person. We were never different. Sure Apathy was a little bitchier but in the end the choice to follow Dante was still mine and I made that choice knowing how much it would hurt you."

"But…" Chloe said. "Then you saved my life."

Cara shrugged. "That means nothing."

"Oh come off it Cara, that meant everything to me." Chloe said. "You started caring again. You cut yourself free. Maybe you and Apathy are the same person." She sighed. "But all of us have a darker side in us. Sometimes it takes hold. We do bad things. We all make mistakes."

"Stop it." Cara muttered. "Just stop being so understanding."

"I'm not going to stop Cara." Chloe said. "You need to understand that I forgive you and that I still care about _you_. You were my best friend and that hasn't changed. You strayed off the path for a little while but you're back now and I know you're going to stay. You won't make that same mistake again."

"I told you never to trust me kid." Cara said.

"And I'm not going to listen to that." Chloe said. "Here's the thing about friends Cara. Friends trust each other even when they know they shouldn't. And they forgive each other even when it seems like they should walk far away."

"Stop it."

"I'm not going to drive you out because of this Cara. You are still my friend and you came back. You saved my life."

"The doctor saved your life. If it hadn't been for her I only would have prolonged your life a day or two more."

"You think I care about that?" Chloe sighed in exasperation. "Cara stop being so dense! Don't you know me better than that? I know you do."

"Just-"

"No! I won't stop!" Chloe said. "You are my friend Cara."

"And I'm a lousy one."

"Just tell me why." Chloe said. "Please."

"Tell you why what?"

"Why you don't want my forgiveness. Why you want me to yell and curse at you and tell you how horrible you are? I can see that you're guilty. So let me take that away!"

"Chloe…"

"Why are you being so stubborn Cara?"

"Because I don't deserve it!" Cara snapped, so loudly that Chloe flinched. "I don't deserve any of your compassion or kindness because…" She felt something welling up inside her, threatening to break loose if she spoke a wrong word. "Because…I…"

That feeling welling up inside of Cara broke loose and she found tears cascading down her cheeks. This time there was no rain to disguise them. She let her head droop.

"Because you're so much better than I am Chloe. You're so much better. You deserve people like Ed and Al to be your friends. Not a soulless apathetic monster like me."

Chloe was silent for a long time. Undoubtedly because the fact that Cara had _tear ducts_ had rendered her speechless. Finally she felt a hand rest on top of her head.

"Maybe you're right. I'm not sure." Chloe said. "But I can tell you right now Cara that I wouldn't trade you for any other person in the world, no matter how perfect. You're my best friend. You and no one else."

The tears flowed faster down Cara's face. "Oh god, Chloe." Her voice broke. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. For everything. I'm sorry." She kept on repeating these words over and over again, as well as she could past her tears.

Chloe smiled, restraining tears of her own.

"I forgive you."

**_Actually writing this scene made me tear up a little._**

**_Cara: You mean she has a soul?_**

**_Ed: Amazing!_**

**_Shut up!_**

**_Chloe: REVIEW!_**


	41. Chapter 40: Naivety and Loyalty

**_Ok, yes I know it's been a long time, yes I know you all hate me but here's a chapter and when I get back from my two week vacation I promise I'll have more written._**

**_If you even still read this fic I love you all now enjoy this lovely chap!_**

**_And REVIEW!_**

Cara refused to leave the room until she had completely gotten herself under control. All things considered that was no easy thing. The relief that Chloe had forgiven her, combined with the sadness that she had ever betray such a loyal girl in the first place made for one of the most emotionally crippling experiences of Cara's life.

I mean, she didn't cry… ever. The last time she had cried was when she suffered her first attack. And that was a _very _long time ago. She hadn't even cried when she left her family.

And speaking of her family, Cara was trying to decide if she could live with ditching town without seeing them again.

It had been too long and too much had changed, according to Ellen, for the worse. Even if everything _was _the same, Cara had changed completely. She was no longer a human (not that she ever was). She was a monster. A monster that they probably wanted nothing to do with.

"_They've probably forgotten about me anyway." _The apathetic side of Cara thought.

The human side of Cara wanted to punch the apathetic side of Cara in the face.

Problem was, Cara wasn't sure which side of her was stronger.

When Cara and Chloe emerged from the house, Ed and Al were waiting at the steps of the stairs. Al hopped up as soon as he saw them.

"Chloe! You can walk alright? Is everything fine?"

Chloe smiled and nodded. "There's a little pain from the rib but I can walk fine."

Ed looked between them. "So… what's the verdict?"

"I forgave her of course." Chloe said. "She's traveling with us again. I know you may not want it but—"

"No, no, I said you get to make the call on it." Ed said, waving his hand dismissively. "And you're coming with us Ap- Cara?"

Cara pretended not to notice his near slip up and she smirked. "Obviously. See, those red stones actually didn't up fully healing me so _technically _you still owe me until we find something that _does _cure me."

Ed scoffed. "Don't you think after everything you put us through that debt is cleared?"

"Of course not!" Cara grinned her old devilish grin. "The deal was find a cure. I said nothing about the shit you'd have to put up with along the way!"

Ed rolled his eyes but he was also smiling.

"So what are you going to do about your adoptive family?" Al asked.

"What?" Chloe whirled to face Cara. "Adoptive family?"

Cara smacked a hand to her forehead. She had hoped Al had forgotten all about that little detail. "It's nothing."

"Liar." Chloe muttered.

Cara crossed her arms stubbornly and didn't reply.

"The family Cara lived with before she ran away lives nearby here." Ed answered for Cara, probably in attempt to irritate her. Cara shot him a glare but said nothing. "Her younger adopted sister invited her to come by."

"Why is this even a question?" Chloe asked. "Of course you're going to see them! It's been years."

"Exactly, shrimp." Cara said. "Years and years. I left without saying goodbye. And I'm not good with apologies, you saw that."

"You're fine with apologies." Chloe shrugged. "Cara, you're going to see them and we're going with you."

"Kid-"

"You're going to see them." Chloe said firmly.

"Yes ma'am," Cara said, then shook her head in disbelief. "Did those words just come out of my mouth?"

"I do believe so." Ed said, smirking.

Chloe gave a surprised grin. "This is a change of pace isn't it?" Then suddenly her eyes narrowed and she turned. "I feel a homunculus." Her fists clenched. "Envy."

Cara turned also to find the green haired homunculus leaning against a building not far away.

"Not bad." Envy smirked. "You are sensitive to our presence."

"What are you doing here?" Chloe side stepped in front of Cara, much to the red haired girl's amusement.

"Uh… kid…" Cara muttered, rubbing a hand behind her head.

Chloe didn't pay her any mind. "You're not going to take Cara back. I won't let you."

"Actually-" Cara tried again.

"Seems like you haven't told her." Envy raised his eyebrows.

"Back off." Chloe said, taking a step forward.

"OK! Shrimp!" Cara said, stamping her foot on the ground to get Chloe's attention. "A) He's already beaten you in a fight twice before, B) you have a few broken ribs so fighting is a terrible idea and C) he's not here to take me back."

Chloe blinked. "I'm sorry… what?"

"You have _broken ribs—"_

"No, no I got that part." Chloe said. "It's part C I'm having a little bit of trouble with."

Cara sighed. "A few things happened while you were unconscious Chloe…"

"What do you mean?"

"The red devil there jumped into your fight, fought me for a bit, lost, then somehow managed to convince me not to kill her." Envy listed of quickly, much more casually than the situation called for. "Dante did not take it well. We had to abandon ship."

"Wait," Chloe turned to face Cara. "Is he telling the truth?"

"Well, seeing as I am alive… yes." Cara said. She smirked at Chloe's disbelief. "What? Surprised I can be so persuasive?"

"Surprised that he would listen." Chloe muttered. "One second he flings me into a wall and almost kills me and the second he's letting you go and _helping us escape? _You see where I'm having trouble with this?"

"Does sound kind of stupid when you put it that way." Ed said.

"It wasn't my original intention, I'll admit." Envy said. "Call it the unpredictable result of a long running argument between Apathy and me."

"Her name is Cara." Chloe said coldly.

"Cara; Apathy." Envy shrugged. "Call her what every you want kid, that doesn't change the fact that she's a homunculus."

"She's more human than you." Chloe was looking about ready to lunge at Envy again.

"Actually, by definition, no she isn't." Envy nodded at Cara. "She doesn't have any more soul than I have. You don't get partial credit for living as a human for several years."

"You-"

"He's right, Chloe." Cara said calmly. "I am a homunculus. Just because I'm your friend again doesn't change that." She sighed. "Which is also why I shouldn't go to visit my old family."

"No, that isn't a reason." Al said. "I'm siding with Chloe on this."

"You always side with Chloe." Cara muttered.

"It doesn't matter." Al said. "Because if you've always been a homunculus then nothing has really changed. Not you at your core. Just your knowledge." He shrugged. "And I think they deserve a visit."

"I'm throwing in my vote with them as well." Ed said. "You have to hold onto your family Cara, even if they're not related by blood. Al and I have learned that well enough."

Cara gritted her teeth together. "Envy, mind casting a vote?"

"Even I did you'd still be out voted." Envy smirked. "Could be interesting to see how this adopted family of your takes your… condition. The worse that could happen is they reject you and throw you out into the street."

"Yeah, and unfortunately without the red stones, I might have an emotional reaction to that." Cara muttered.

"I could scrounge a few up."

"No." Chloe said sharply. "She's never taking those _things _again. They change her too much."

"I don't want to take them anyway." Cara said. "Not like they do me any good." She faced the brothers and Chloe. "Fine. I'll go. But only for a little while. If they don't want me there then we leave."

"Deal." Ed said. "Let's get a move on then. I want to see the people who managed to raise a heap of trouble like you."

Cara managed a grin. Now that she was "Cara" again, he almost seemed to be treating her normally. She hated to admit it, but she missed that. She missed is over the top angry reactions and she missed bantering with him.

She missed the way he actually seemed to _care _about her. Even after they first found out she was a homunculus.

Then again, that made her feel guilty again. They had all trusted her after they found out and she smashed their trust down in a blender.

She still couldn't understand why any of them were willing to risk that again.

Humans really were strange.

"And you?" Al asked Envy. He sounded like he was trying to be polite but there was a suspicious note in his voice.

Cara honestly expected Envy to laugh and say _"See you later. Never hanging around you people again." _But he surprised her.

He'd been making a habit of that lately.

"I'll tag along by force if necessary." He said flatly.

"What? Why!" Ed snapped. "You hate both me and Al and I _thought _you hated Cara. Why would you stick with us?"

"For my own purposes." Envy said. "Not really because I enjoy your company."

"You're going have to better than that." Chloe said coldly and Cara found herself surprised, not for the first time, that Chloe could speak with such a dark tone in her voice. And if she could why wasn't that tone directed at her? "After all the shit you put us through, you're going to have to be more specific."

Envy smirked, looking amused rather than angry at her quiet rage. "Alright fine. I made a promise to Lust." He looked at Ed and Al. "She's really the only reason Apathy and I got out alive. Whether or not Dante has killed her I don't know."

Ed's eyes widened, "Why would Lust-"

"Because." Envy said. "Maybe it surprises you, pipsqueak, but homunculi can make friends. If you spend enough time around someone you can stand it's inevitable. And Lust possibly died for Apathy and I. If not, she's not doing well." Envy looked back at Chloe. "So in answer to your question, I'm tagging along because sticking with you four gives me a good chance of running across Dante again. If Lust is alive I can set her free. If she's dead then you can be damn sure I'll avenge her."

There was silence for a long time before Al said, "Well… I guess…"

"Al!" Ed snapped.

"Brother, he's not against us anymore and he could help us! I think we should take advantage of it. Do you really think we can be the homunculi, the _immortal _homunculi, all by ourselves?"

"I'm fine with it." Cara said. "As long as he keeps the smart remarks to a minimum."

Envy cast her his usual infuriating smirk. "I thought that was my line, little devil."

"Fine." Ed groaned after considerable grumbling. "But I swear Envy, if this is a trap, if you turn against us, I am going to—"

"Kill me?" Envy raised an eyebrow. "Good luck with that."

"No, I'll kill you." Chloe said quietly. Cara stared at her. With that voice the kid almost sounded… deadly. "Cross us or turn against us or _hurt _any one of us and I'm going to end your miserable life whether you are soulless or not. I forgave Cara but I'm certainly not about to forgive you."

Envy shrugged like this meant very little to him but Cara could see the surprise in his eyes. Surprise that Chloe could make a threat sound legitimate. "Wouldn't have it any other way little blind girl."

"Good." Chloe said. "Let's go. Cara's younger sister went this way." Then she spun on her heels and walked off in the opposite direction. Ed and Al trotted quickly after her.

"Your friend is full of surprises." Envy said, coming up beside Cara. "She's not as naïve as I thought."

"She's never been naïve." Cara found herself saying. "Just a good friend."

"Hmm." Envy said. "Even so, she's changed."

That much he was right about. Though Chloe's loyalty hadn't wavered everything else about her had changed drastically.

The little girl who tried to steal the apples was long gone. And Cara suspected it was her fault.

_**Thanks so much. When I get back in two week we shall have a family reunion chapter. I **_**promise _I'm not going to abandon this thing for a long period of time again. I just had really bad writer's block on this fic._**

**_And I was lazy._**

**_Love you all and REVIEW!_**


	42. Chapter 41: Family Reunions

_**...heh... heh...**_

_**Cara: You have something to say for yourself?**_

_**I... updated quicker than last time.**_

_**Chloe: Not much of an accomplishment**_

_**I was busy ok? I've been out of town more than I've been home. Summer has been packed.**_

_**Envy: Whatever you say.**_

_**No really I-**_

_**Ed: Sure, sure.**_

_**Al: Whatever.**_

_**I hate all of you.**_

_**Chloe: REVIEW!**_

"_Imagination equals nostalgia for the past, the absent; it is the liquid solution in which art develops the snapshot of reality" –Cyril Connolly_

Cara though of several ways to escape her unplanned family reunion. Faking an attack, running around until she had a real attack, taking the stones and turning back into Apathy.

But then Cara realized that no matter what she might try, Chloe probably wouldn't yield.

And it was damn annoying, but unavoidable.

Ed did not fail to notice Cara's uneasiness. "You'll be fine."

"What would you know?" Cara asked.

"More than you think." Ed said. "When Al and I split town, we burned down our house and left Winry and Aunt Pinako without even a note. We didn't come back till years later. Yet they still welcomed us back."

"You were still human." Cara said.

"You've never been human, like you said." Ed countered. "We came back dogs of the military. Some would argue that's less than human."

Cara shrugged and scuffed her feet along the dirt path.

"You'll be fine." Ed sighed. "Relax strawberry patch."

Cara's head snapped up at the nickname. He hadn't called her that since she turned into a homunculus. And as annoying as it was, it took her a minute to spit back a retort.

"Don't call me that _goldilocks._"

Ed glared at her. "Shut up."

"Goldilocks." Envy repeated. "Didn't think of that one. I'll have to use that."

"Oh great." Ed muttered.

Al chuckled but for once Chloe did not join him. Envy's presence was having a visible effect on her.

That and it probably hurt like hell every time she breathed too hard because of the rib.

"Are we getting close, Cara?" Chloe asked. "And don't try to get us lost either."

"Next right turn. The house at the end of the road." Cara said, finally resigning herself to the re-meeting. "It's been forever since I've been here. It's changed a lot. More shops, more houses." She tried to look dismissive as she scanned the town with her eyes but she felt an undeniable pang of curiosity. A man sitting on the porch of a repair shop looked up at her and she quickly looked away, hiding her face with a curtain of red hair. She didn't even know who he was but she was afraid he might recognize her.

She didn't mind meeting her family again, but she wasn't going to deal with neighbors.

Ellen was sitting on the porch when they approached, sitting in the old rocking chair that used to belong to their mother. She was twirling something in her fingers, the old red stone she had used to heal Chloe. She was so engrossed in her thoughts that she didn't even look up.

Cara stopped at the foot of the stairs and put on a smile. At a nod from Chloe she forced herself to speak. "So is that invitation to come over still open?"

Ellen looked up in surprise. Then she beamed. "You came!" She leapt from the chair, bounded down the stairs and practically tackled Cara in a hug.

"Course I did." Cara said breathlessly, taking a deep breath and steeling herself. "I owe you don't I? For that note I didn't leave? And for helping the kid." Cara nodded at Chloe. "Really, thanks."

"No problem." Ellen stepped back. "Come on in. You and your friends. They're welcome."

"So you told everyone I was coming?" Cara asked, feeling a little relieved.

Ellen stopped at the door. "Uh…"

Cara glared at the back of her head. "You _didn't _tell them?"

"Well I didn't know if you were actually coming so… no." Ellen said, looking over shoulder. "They'll be fine. Probably. "

"Forgive me for not feeling reassured." Cara said.

"Guess it's going to be a nice surprise then." Envy smirked.

"You are not helping." Cara snapped.

"Shh," Ellen said, opening the door. "Jane might be asleep so try to keep your voices down."

"Asleep? It's the middle of the day." Ed said.

"I know." Ellen murmured. "I told Cara… Jane's been sick for a little while. We don't know what it is but it seems to be the same thing our mother died of." Her voice quivered as she spoke. "I tried to heal her but it just came back. The red stone didn't help."

"They only go so far." Envy said, wandering around the front hall. Cara didn't say anything. Though the town had changed and her family had probably as well… the house was exactly how she remembered it.

The small kitchen and dining room was just to the right and the living room to the left. Two yards down from the door the stairs began leading up into the darkness. Cara knew her old room was up there. And her brothers and sisters' rooms. It had been so long yet she could still picture every detail of every room. The bed spread, the color of the walls, the wooden dresser she had fell against when she had her first attack… everything.

"Cara?" Chloe said softly. "Are you… alright?"

Cara nodded but couldn't vocalize her response. She felt every eye on her as her fingers brushed the banister of the stairs. The wood was smooth under her fingers. Smooth but dusty. Her mother had always been the clean freak of the house. Now that she was gone…

"_What am I doing?" _Cara thought. _"She wasn't my mother. They aren't my real family. Suck it up."_

"David? Jake?" Ellen called tentatively. "You up there?"

"I'm here." Cara's breath caught in her throat at that voice. She saw a shadow at the top of the stairs and she backed up a few steps.

"_David."_

"Is something wrong Ellen?" David asked. Cara heard footsteps and she forced herself to stand her ground. How would he react after all this time?

"No, we have visitors, that's all." Ellen said. "I think there's someone you might want to see."

More footsteps, Cara took a deep breath. But she still couldn't completely steel herself when he appeared.

He was older now, with the shadow of a beard on his strong chin. His green eyes were tired, but they still belonged to him.

This was the boy who had found her in the field all those years ago. The one who had held her still the first time she suffered an attack. The one who promised to keep her secret from the rest of her family.

Her brother. It didn't matter if they weren't blood related. He was her brother.

David was confused for a moment as he scanned his visitors. When his eyes fell on Cara his confusion deepened. He recognized her, but he couldn't put a name to her face.

Cara decided to jog his memory.

"Hey… Davy." She murmured. She barely recognized her own voice as it came from her mouth. It was hoarse and choked up. It almost sounded like she was going to cry.

But she wasn't going to do that. She had already used up her tears for the day. She'd cried enough to last her a life time.

David's eyes widened as it dawned on him and Cara could have sworn she saw his eyes brim with tears. Then without warning he rushed forward and pulled her into a bone crushing hug. And she had experienced quite a lot of near bone crushing after all the hits she had taken. She gasped in surprised.

"Cara… you're back." He whispered, and Cara realized he _was _crying. Her older brother who was always the strong force in the family. _Crying_. "You came home."

_Home. _Cara had to steel herself when she heard the word. She was _home_. And David was welcoming her back with open arms.

David pulled back to look at her. "You've grown… you've changed."

"You have no idea." Cara smiled bitterly. "David I-"

"No apologies right now." David said. "That can wait. Come in with your friends. Sit. You're all welcome."

"_Welcome_." Cara thought. _"I'm welcome… I'm welcome home."_

* * *

"Things started going downhill after you left." David said, staring down at his cup of tea. They were all sitting in the living room now, Cara and Chloe on the couch, David in the chair opposite them. Ellen sat on the stairs next to where Al stood and Ed leaned over the back of the couch. Envy was leaned against the wall by the door, eyes closed as if he were sleeping. But Cara knew he was listening intently. The human's reaction seemed to fascinate him.

"Mom started getting sick, the mines started getting more dangerous. Then she died two years later." David sighed. "Three years after that, dad went in a mining accident. We're holding on here. Jake works a job at the local repair shop and I work at the diner on the corner. You remember the one."

"Yes." Cara said. "Ellen said Jane is sick too."

"Yeah." David stared at his hands. "But enough about us. We can talk about that later. What have you been up to?"

"Um…" Cara chewed on her lip.

"I know why you left Cara." David said gently. "I never told the others, just like you asked me not to. I know it's because of the attacks. I know you were afraid."

"I wasn't-" Cara started to protest but she realized he was right. She _had _been afraid. Really, she still was.

"Don't worry about it." David said. "Just tell me what you've done."

"Well… I was a thief." Cara said. "Stole things for fun, squatted in basements etc."

"A thief…" David blinked, then grinned. "Figures. That line of work suits you, no offence. You always did like causing trouble."

"No kidding." Ed muttered.

"Then this kid," Cara continued, nudging Chloe. "Tried to steal some apples from me. Not exactly sure how it happen but she ended up becoming my blind partner in crime."

"_Blind_?" David stared at her. "You're-"

"Yes, blind as a bat. I can't see anything, but I use alchemy to sense vibrations and other peoples movements and locations in order to function as easily as the rest of you." Chloe said quickly like she'd been through it a million times before.

…Which she had, but still.

"Wow, pretty amazing." David said. "I don't understand alchemy much myself. Jake does though. That's why he works at the repair shop. Fixes everything around this town."

"Anyhow." Cara said. "I got into a few scrapes with these two brothers and ended up shang highing them into helping us out. Chloe and I started tagging along so that I could get rid of my attacks and Chloe could find a way to restore her blindness… with the philosopher's stone."

Ellen's eyes widened, "You mean this?" She reached into her pocket and pulled out the faded red stone.

"That's a copy." Envy said. "One of the ones we distributed likely."

"You?" Ellen's eyes narrowed.

"Uh, we'll get to that later." Cara said.

"So did you find a cure? For your attacks?" David asked.

"No… but I found out why I have them." Cara murmured. "David… do you remember when you found me? In that field all alone?"

"Of course." David said. "How could I forget?"

"And you say I just appeared." Cara said. "You have no idea where I might have come from?"

"No." David said. "We asked everyone around town and a few towns over if they had lost a little girl. Everyone. When no one claimed you we decided to keep you. Why?"

Cara bit her lip. "David… I'm not… what you think I am. I'm not like you. I thought my condition was just a disease but it's not. It's a reaction." She held up her hand for all to see, showing David the red mark. "Do you know what this is David? My tattoo?"

"The dragon and the star?" David asked. "No. I thought it was just a weird mark."

"No." Cara said. "It's the tattoo of the oroborus. The mark of immortality. This is what marks me for what I am. Envy is the same." Cara said.

"What you are." David repeated.

"I'm not human David." Cara said. "I'm-"

"A homunculus." Someone else finished for her. Everyone turned to see someone else standing in the doorway. Cara's eyes widened. It was Jake, the younger of her older brothers. But she barely recognized him. He looked so out of place with that angry look on his face.

"You're a homunculus." Jake repeated, eyes narrowed. "Hello Cara. Finally decided to turn up again, huh?"

* * *

_**Oh the drama and turmoil**_

_**Cara: And cliff hangers**_

_**Chloe: Because you have a fetish for them**_

_**It's true. But I love all of you anyway. School is about to start so I'm not sure how consistent updates will be**_

_**Envy: Not that they've been consistent before**_

_**Shut it. But until next time, I love you all! Follow my blog at .com!**_

_**Ed: And REVIEW!**_


	43. Chapter 42: Collision

_**So... hi guys.**_

_**Cara: Well look who it is.**_

_**Ed: Miss Authoress back to visit our lowly fanfic.**_

_**Ahem... yeah...**_

_**Envy: Well Miss Authoress we wouldn't want to take up too much of your time.**_

_**Chloe: Please, don't trouble yourself.**_

_**You know I would usually punish this excess of sarcasm but... I don't think I have an excuse.**_

**_Cara: After several months of no updates. I don't think so either._**

**_-.-' Yeah... so... Review?_**

**_Al: And enjoy this update!_**

**Chapter 42: Collision**

One look at Jake's face and Cara knew he wouldn't be nearly as welcoming as David and Ellen. It sent a twinge through her, but she knew she should have expected this.

All the same she didn't want Jake to hate her.

But she was being attacked, and she knew it. And she wasn't one to stand by and let someone walk over her. So she steeled her gaze and hardened her voice.

"Yes, I did. Is there a problem Jake."

"No, no problem." Jake said sarcastically. "Except for… oh that's right, the fact that you left without a word like he were just trash you found on the street. Or the fact that you never made an effort to contact us. Or the fact that mom _cried _for days after you left." He took a step forward. "Yeah, remember her? She raised you, and cared for you and took you in?"

"Jake." David said quietly, but Jake wasn't stopping any time soon.

"By the way, did you hear she died?" Jake said, taking another step forward. "And that dad died? And that Jane is sick and _probably _will die? Did you hear how dire our financial situation is? And were you here for any of that? No. You've been off living your own care free life."

"Jake!" David stood. "That's enough."

"Stop David. I can handle myself." Cara said flatly. Then she looked back at Jake. A cold smirk, Apathy's smirk, drew over her face. "Care free. That's funny Jake. What the hell do you know about the life I've been leading since I left?"

"It must have been pretty nice." He muttered. "After all, you always run away from your problems."

"Do I?" Cara asked. She took a step forward, further closing the gap between them. "Maybe I do. But that's none of your business is it? But I can tell you one thing right now, my life has _not _been care free. I've had just as many problems as this family here."

"You think that makes it better?" Jake asked. "You weren't here for those problems."

"But I didn't cause any of them!" Cara said. "What the fuck did I have to do with mom or dad's death, huh? Nothing! Did I give Jane a disease? No! I left because I was a bother and a worry. If I stayed I just would have been another problem."

"Oh so that's why you left." Jake scoffed. "For our own good. No selfish motives whatsoever."

"Don't talk to her like that." Chloe stood, looking enraged.

"Back off kid." Cara said. "I told you I can handle myself." Her eyes narrowed on Jake. "Alright, fine. I had selfish motivations. You know what? Sometimes I'm just a selfish goddamn person. Kind of like how we all are. I'm only human."

"No you're not." Jake said quietly. "You're a homunculus. You don't have a soul. You're a monster."

"Your logic is poor." Envy said mildly, not taking offense to the whole 'monster' comment. Cara imagined he got that a lot. "Someone who's only human is allowed to be selfish sometimes but monsters are supposed to be the epitome of selflessness? We monsters are actually even more selfish. It was in her nature to look out for herself."

"We monsters?" Jake turned his narrowed eyes on Envy. "Oh so you brought a whole party here huh?"

Envy raised his eyebrows. "You really want to pick a fight with me brat. You'd be better off with the red head."

"Thanks Envy." Cara muttered. "You're too kind."

"Oh, I'm just practicing some of that classic 'Soulless Monster Selflessness' we apparently have."

Jake sneered and took a step towards Envy. "Look you-"

"Jake." David said tightly. "_Stop_."

For some reason, David's quietly angry voice froze Jake in his tracks. Cara didn't blame him either. Yelling she could always take. It didn't bug her. But for some reason whenever David used to get angry, it made her feel like she was a terrible person. There was always this level of disappointment in his anger that made any resolve to argue with him crumble.

"But… David…" Jake started to protest, though his voice had softened now.

"Cara didn't leave to run away from her problems." David said. "Unfortunately, its impossible for her to run away from her problems."

_'Impossible' _Cara lowered her gaze slightly to the ground. _'Impossible to stop the attacks… Impossible.'_

"She was dying. That's what she found out. Of something that couldn't be cured. But she thought it would be better if she died alone instead of putting us through it with her." David said. "She still is dying… but somehow she's managed to prolong herself."

"Dying?" Jake's eyes widened. "You're-"

"Yeah…" Cara muttered, looking back at Jake who didn't seem to know what to think. "Comes with the whole soulless monster thing. I don't consume the souls of people and my soulless body starts to break down. For years I didn't know what I was. I only found out recently…" she glanced at Envy. "And I think its too late to do anything about my condition now."

Envy shrugged though he seemed oddly uncomfortable with this fact. "Your life can be prolonged… I don't know how long."

"That's a lie." Chloe said. "Cara will be fine. There is a way to cure her I know it. All we have to do is find a stone. A real philosopher's stone. And then we can get you fixed."

Cara stared at her for a minute, rather blinded by her friend's confidence. "Yeah…" she said after a pause. "Right… of course…"

"A philosopher's stone?" Ellen asked. "You mean like this, right?"

"No, not quite." Envy said, leaning back against the wall. "Where'd you pick that up kid?"

"Outside the coal mine." Ellen murmured. "After the accident that killed my dad. Some kind of explosion."

"An alchemic explosion more like it. Caused by that." He nodded at the stone. "I remember the name of this town now. Lust planted a philosopher's stone here as another way to try to find an alchemist puppet for Dante. I don't know who that fake was originally intended for or who caused the explosion. But that little stone there was likely supposed to be destroyed with its user. You just happened to pick it up."

"Lust huh? Who's this Lust?" Jake said, his anger seeming to well up again. "If she's responsible for the explosion then I'll-"

"Lust can't use alchemy so you're out of luck there." Envy said, his gaze growing testy. "And as far as getting her back for it, you may be too late. I wouldn't be surprised if she's dead."

Cara ran a hand through her hair, frustrated by this thought. She liked Lust. The woman had been a good companion and easy to talk to. She was understanding of dilemmas with memories and human emotions. And she had helped Envy and Cara to escape.

She could be suffering for that right now.

"Look," Alphonse finally interjected into the tense mood. "You're clearly in an angry place right now Jake. We understand. If you don't want us here, then we don't want to impose."

"Right." Cara said. "I just came by because Ellen said I should. Now I have. So we'll leave if that's what you want."

"No!" Ellen stood quickly. "Y-you can't yet. You still haven't seen Jane. You have to say hi to her at least before you go. Stay a little longer Cara, please." Her eyes were wide and for a moment, Cara saw those adorable little six year olds that used to follow her around everywhere she went, treating her like the best of big sister. Her heart, or what little she had of one, melted a bit and she sighed.

"Alright, settle down Ellie. I'll see Jane before I go."

"Is that really safe?" Jake asked. "She's tired. Seeing Cara might be too exhausting for-"

"Ok, seriously, will you back off." Ed snapped, glaring at Jake. "She hasn't seen any of her family for years alright, let her say hi at least without throwing in one of your stupid comments."

Cara smiled slightly at Ed and for a moment they seemed to be at one of those rare understandings. Ed knew what it was like to leave a waiting family behind for a long period of time. He'd done the same thing when he and Al had burned down their home and gone to Central.

Jake looked like he might say something else but at a sharp look from David, he fell silent. "Fine…"

"She's upstairs." David said. "The same room as always… you can see if she's not sleeping."

"I will. Thanks." Cara said.

The house really was exactly the same as Cara remembered it. Same old wall paper with the purple flowers that was now peeling in some places. Same dark wood floors. And same rooms. She used to share a room with the twins so when she entered Jane's room she felt undeniable nostalgia sweeping over her, threatening to overwhelm her for a moment.

This was her room. The furniture was rearranged but this was Cara's room. The window was the same window she snuck out of that night all those years ago.

Jane was in bed, lying down, her eyes closed. Cara decided she must be sleeping and didn't want to disturb her but as she started to step back out of the room the door creaked loudly.

Jane shifted in her sleep. "Ellen?" she mumbled, opening her eyes.

"Uh…" Cara licked her lips awkwardly. "No… its Cara… Janey."

Jane's eyes widened as they focused on Cara. "Cara…" she shook her head. "Am I dreaming?"

"I sure hope not or I think I might be in danger of an identity crisis." Cara said dryly.

Jane sat up, a smile breaking over her face. "I'm not dreaming… I-I thought I heard you down stairs yelling at Jake but I thought that was just a dream." She looked overjoyed but Cara could see the changes in her sister. The paler skin, the duller hair and eye color. She looked thinner and definitely weak. Once Cara had a difficult time telling Ellen and Jane apart. Now it wouldn't be hard at all.

"Nope. Its me." Cara moved slowly forward into the room, her half smile on her face. "How you feeling kiddo. I hear you're sick."

"Yeah…" Jane sighed. "It's one of the better days I guess…"

Cara felt a pang of sympathy. Yeah, she knew what Jane was going through. When you were sick with something that was slowly killing you the best you could really hope for was good days in which you could suffer less.

"Good…" she murmured.

"What about you?" Jane asked. "What are you doing back here?"

"Ellen ran into me and forced me to come here." Cara shrugged. "But I'm mostly glad I did. ¾ of my family has been very welcoming."

Jane grimaced. "Yeah… you'll have to ignore Jake. He gets so angry lately. He and David are always getting into fights. I don't like it Cara. I hate hearing them yell."

Cara sighed. Jane was always the most sensitive soul of the family, and the most kind. She was empathetic to the point that she hurt as much as someone else when she saw their pain. It was no wonder the yelling scared her.

"Don't worry about them. They'll both be fine. Jake will cool off, you'll see." Cara said.

"Yeah…" Jane murmured. "You know, I used to always wish I could be as confident as you Cara. As sure of things. You always knew everything that was going to happen and you faced it head on… but me? I don't know anything… and I'm afraid to face it."

Cara blinked. "I don't think… I'm as confident as you think…' After all she didn't know what was going to happen to her right now and that worried her. She'd been thinking about it ever since she ditched Dante… her fate… her future.

The fear that coiled in her chest made her angry at herself, but she knew that it was fear. She was just keeping it bottled up inside.

"You should give yourself more credit." Jane murmured with a sleepy smile. "I'm glad you came back Cara… I missed you."

"You too kiddo." Cara said. "You should sleep…" she backed towards the door. "If I leave I'll be sure to say bye to you. But sleep."

"Alright." Jane yawned. "Love you Cara…"

"…" Cara blinked at her adopted sister before she sighed. "Yeah… you too Jane."

She stepped out into the hall and for a moment all she could do was lean against the wall.

There was an unknown future in front of her, one that Cara couldn't predict. She didn't know what it might contain. She only knew that it ended in death.

The uncertainty began to set in like a weight on her chest. A great pain.

Weight… pain… breathing… Cara could breathe. Very suddenly she sank to her knees as a pain split her torso. It was an attack. But a different attack it had come on almost from nothing, like a slow poison rather than a stab. It was different.

Different.

Unknown.

Terrifying.

The attack wracked her body with such force and Cara couldn't even find the voice with which to cry out.

* * *

_**Cara: Couldn't resist a cliffhanger could you?**_

_**When can I ever.**_

_**Chloe: Last time I checked? Never.**_

_**Al: That rhymes!**_

_**Ed: Hooray.**_

_**Envy: Review... and maybe the authoress will update in the next millenia.**_

_**Next time I update I will destroy those who attempt sarcasm FYI**_

_**Cara: We know. That's why we're getting it all now.**_

_**Chloe: Until next time!**_


	44. Chapter 43: Addiction

_**Hey look guys! I'm back and its only been a few weeks**_

_**Cara: You want a medal**_

_**Why yes. Yes I would.**_

_**Chloe: Alright. You get the 'I'm sort of kind of not a procrastinator occasionally medal"**_

_**Al: Also known as: ISOKONAPOM**_

_**Ed: Congratz**_

_**Envy: *Slow sarcastic clapping***_

_***glares* Alright... what did I say about sarcasm the last time around?**_

_**Chloe: That you wouldn't tolerate it.**_

_**Better believe it.**_

_**Ed: Shit! A chainsaw gun!**_

_**Al: Where the heck did she get that?!**_

_**Cara: Everyone run!**_

_**Envy: And review!**_

**Chapter 43: Addiction**

"_Confront the dark parts of yourself, and work to banish them with illumination and forgiveness. Your willingness to wrestle with your demons will cause your angels to sing. Use the pain as fuel, as a reminder of your strength."—Anonymous_

"All this time I've been with Cara and she never talked about her family." Chloe murmured. "I knew she had one, but she didn't mention it. I used to think that meant she didn't like them but now I realize it was because she did… and it hurt her to talk about it."

"Yeah…" Ed murmured. "Though then again, Cara wasn't exactly one to talk about things."

They were sitting in the living room of the old house. Jake had left to cool off and David and Ellen were in the kitchen, working to cook something. Al was there as well, trying to help out much as possible which Chloe had wanted to do too but Ellen said she shouldn't strain her rib. Envy had disappeared too, probably not wanting to spend any concentrated time with humans. He was tagging along but that didn't mean he was gun hoe about spending quality time with the Elric's or Chloe. Personally Chloe didn't mind. She wanted to spend as little time as possible with him as well.

"True enough." Chloe said. "She used to be like a wall to me. I could never feel her vibrations as much which I realize now was because she wasn't a human. She was a homunculus with out the souls. But I couldn't feel when she was lying and I couldn't feel her emotional shifts as easy. I knew when she was having attacks and such but she was hard to read and she wouldn't tell anything she didn't want to." She shook her head. "But I _knew _she did care even though she tried not to. That's why I knew that without the stones she could get back to normal. Because she is like a human deep down inside. She can care."

"Yeah…" Ed murmured. "I wish I had your same confidence. I thought she was gone for good."

He hadn't liked that thought. Over time he had started to grow fond of Cara and her snide remarks and the trouble she caused. When she was gone, he had missed her frequent nicknames of "goldilocks" and "pipsqueak". It was just strange not hearing her voice. It was nice to have her back now, even if she came with the unwanted other homunculus who was at the very least not causing too much trouble.

"I know." Chloe said. "That's how you roll Ed. You cut your losses before you can have a chance to hope… I get it. You hoped that when your mom had died you could bring her back and it ended up making things worse. I don't blame you for losing faith in Cara immediately."

Ed stared at the blind girl, a bit dumbfounded. He opened his mouth to protest before he closed it. "Yeah… I guess that makes since."

Chloe smiled, looking a bit mischievous. "Ed… you care a lot about Cara don't you?"

Ed felt his cheeks heat slightly and he was glad the girl couldn't see. "Well… I don't know if I'd go that far… I-I mean she's fun to have around and all but-"

"I can tell when you're lying Ed."

Ed glared at her. "Who asked you shrimp! What does it matter if I care about her or not or how much I care about her. Which isn't to say I do! She can just be handy in a tight spot sometimes that's all. And sometimes its nice to talk to her but she can be so damn frustrating and annoying that-"

"Has anyone ever told you that you ramble when you're being defensive?" Chloe smirked.

Ed stopped. "Is it just me or is that broken rib of yours making me more smug."

"Nah, its not the broken rib. Its Cara's returned presence. She has that effect on me."

"Well then that's just another annoying thing about her."

"Uh huh. Sure."

"Shut it shrimp."

"Hey guys dinner is almost-" Al stopped when he came into the room. "What's wrong brother? Your face is all red."

"Oh is it?" Chloe asked, grinning.

"Its just hot in here that's all." Ed muttered. "What do you want?"

"David asked me to tell you that they almost have dinner ready. Can one of you go up and get Cara?" Al asked.

"Ed will get Cara." Chloe said, a knowing smile on her face.

"Why can't you get her?" Ed snapped.

"Because I'm a poor blind girl with a broken rib that's why." Chloe fluttered her unseeing eyes, innocently. "Pleease Ed?"

"You're infuriating."

Al glanced between them. "Uh… did I miss something?"

"Well as a matter of fact-" Chloe started.

"No!" Ed snapped. "You missed nothing. I'll go get her if that makes you happy. Sheesh!"

"Thank you Ed." Chloe sang.

"Yeah, yeah." Ed said, moving towards the stares.

"Seriously, what's up with brother?" he heard Al saying.

"Oh you know how he is. Overreacting to everything." Chloe replied mysteriously.

Ed sighed and continued up the stairs. Chloe was just making stuff up in her head. Her rib was probably making her think funny. Ed liked Cara but he only liked her. Nothing else like what Chloe was implying.

"Hey Cara." He said as he reached the top of the stairs, rubbing his hand behind his head and trying to look as nonchalant as possible. "You brother says that dinner is almost-" he stopped when he saw someone curled up on the floor. Cara. She was curled into a ball, shaking like crazy, her mouth open in a silent scream. She was having an attack and it was clearly a bad one. "Cara!"

Ed ran forward and knelt down next to her, leaning over her in attempt to get her eyes to focus. "Hey, look at me you idiot. Are you ok?"

"I'm… just dandy Ed… what the HELL does it look- AAH!" Cara let out a cry for the first time and curled further in on herself. "Sh-shit."

"Dammit." Ed muttered. "Chloe! Al! Envy!" he wasn't sure why he called for Envy. Maybe he was hoping the other homunculus would know what was going on. "Come here! Hurry!"

Funny enough, Envy must have been closer by than anyone realized because he was suddenly there at Cara's side, brushing her hair out of her face and placing a hand on her forehead. "She's burning up."

"I-Its ok… it'll p-pass." Cara muttered.

"How long has it been going on?" Envy asked.

"Th-thirty minutes?"

"Shit, Cara why didn't you call for one of us!" Ed snapped.

"What? Not worried about me are you goldielocks. I'm- Aah!" Cara winced, shutting her eyes tight. The agony on her face was clear.

"Don't talk little devil." Envy murmured. "You might bite your tongue. Just breathe." Cara took a few gasping breaths in response. He held out his arm. "Here, grab onto my arm. It'll help." Cara latched onto his arm all at once with a force that drew blood but the other homunculus didn't seem to notice the pain. "Good… now concentrate on grabbing my arm. Don't lose consciousness, whatever you do."

"If I… rip your arm off… its your fault." Cara muttered.

Envy smirked at her in return. "Do your worst, little devil."

It was so strange… but when Ed looked at Envy there almost seemed to be worry in his gaze behind the smirk. And Cara, despite how often she argued with Envy, seemed appreciative of his help through her pain. There was something more behind the nickname and behind her death grip on him that Ed didn't like for some reason.

Why had Envy not killed Cara?

Was there something… else?

"What's going on?" Chloe and Al were suddenly there as well. Fear was all over Chloe's face. "Is it a bad one?"

"Yeah." Ed muttered, tearing his eyes from Envy and Cara. "And a long one too."

"What do we do?" Al asked. "We have to do something."

"She needs stones." Envy murmured. "That's what she needs."

"No." Chloe snapped and Ed found himself echoing her at the same time. He didn't want to lose this Cara again anymore than Chloe did.

"I know you don't like it." Envy said. "But she's addicted to them now. Her body has adapted to receiving so with out them her attacks will be even worse. They'll get worse more quickly. She needs the stones to live."

"But they turn her different." Chloe said. "They make her into Apathy… "

"Apathy and Cara are the same person kid." Envy said. "Apathy has a few less emotions but she is still Cara. She's not some alternate personality that the 'evil stones' conjured up. If that were true she wouldn't remember all of you and she wouldn't have broken out of Dante's grip in the first place."

"Yeah but-"

Envy cut her off, "Kid, she's the same person with or without the stones and if you want her to live then she _needs _them. And it doesn't matter really if you give me permission. If you don't want her to take him them I'll give them to her myself."

Everyone fell silent as this. Ed stared at Envy. He'd never seen him get so worked up before. Almost angry, but for reasons other than personal insults to himself. He was angry that everyone seemed to think Apathy was "different" and that they would deny her stones and let her suffer…

He… almost seemed to… care about Cara.

"She needs the stones." Ed at last said in a thick voice. "So we need to give them to her." He looked at Envy. "Do you have any."

"Yeah. I had a feeling this might happen." He reached into his pocket and drew out a small bag of red stones. He dumped about six into his palm. "Open up little devil."

Cara did, her jaw trembling slightly. Envy dumped them into her mouth and then closed her mouth so that she had to swallow them down. Soon after she did the shaking started to halt. Cara's breathing steadied and she seemed to go limp.

"I'll put her in an empty room." Envy said, lifting her up into his arms. "She'll need to rest." With that he turned and left the rest of them kneeling on the floor. Al looked dumbstruck, Chloe was glaring, torn by the fact that she had let her friend take the stones again. Ed just stared.

It seemed impossible to him that maybe there was something between Cara and Envy. Envy couldn't feel… he'd been a monster for way too long.

But if he could feel… and he felt something for Cara… Ed shook his head. He wasn't sure why but he didn't like that thought one bit.

* * *

_**There you go, EdxCara fans. You are now seeing hints of it. It will blossom further. Promise**_

_**Cara: How kind of you**_

_**Ed: At least it would be**_

_**Cara: If you weren't standing on our heads and threatening to shoot and slice us to bits at the same time.**_

_**Silence fools!**_

_**Chloe: Sigh... review!**_

_**Envy: And hope the authoress doesn't continue to go on her massacre of death**_

_**Al: Until next time!**_


	45. Chapter 44: Bait

**_*Deep breath* I'm so sorry... I once again abandoned this fic for several months without any word. I got so bogged down with other stuff. But I promise, promise, promise that I will not do that again. There isn't too much more left in this fic and I can power through the chapters and get it done relativley quickly. I'll try to get an update out once a week, AT LEAST once every two weeks. If not you guys can yell at me angrily and all those other things you do when I don't update. I'm sorry! *Bows down in pentance*_  
**

**_Cara: *Slow clap*_**

**_Envy: Bravo_**

**_Chloe: Such an expression of humility..._**

**_Ed: We never expected it from you._**

**_Al: Truly._**

**_You guys aren't even being sarcastic are you?_**

**_Cara: No, its genuinely surprising. And we are impressed._**

**_Envy: Really._**

**_The world really has ended..._**

**_Ed: And in light of that, enjoy this long awaited chapter._**

**_Chloe: Its got EdxCara in it~~~_**

**_Cara and Ed: Oh god..._**

**_Envy: What's this?_**

**_Ed: NOTHING!_**

**_Al: Review!_**

**Chapter 44: Bait**

_**"The advantage of the emotions is that they lead us astray"- Oscar Wilde**_

Relief from the pain came slowly. At first, Cara couldn't tell the difference at all. Then, gradually, as the eternal minutes slipped by, the pain eased away. It faded from agony to a dull throbbing to brief pangs of discomfort. She could breathe normally again. She could see clearly enough to spot Envy, leaning up against the wall across from the bed she was in. Ellen's bed.

That truly had been an attack like no other. And such a thought should scare her…

But it didn't. Not really. That's how Cara knew the stones had taken their effect. Emotions were dulled along with the pain.

"Fuck this condition." She muttered in a hoarse voice.

Envy glanced up at her. "Well enough to make snide remarks I see. Feeling better?"

Cara shrugged. Her normal stabs of irritation at his jabs were considerably dulled. "Well enough. My throat is hoarse and I don't feel at my best but I'll live." She winced. "Well… for as long as my condition permits me to."

"You will live."

Cara turned towards the door to see Chloe entering. She strode quickly past Envy as if she couldn't stand to be in his close vicinity for even a second.

"When we find the philosopher's stone, we'll be able to save you without a problem."

"Right, shrimp. Whatever you say." Cara sat up, flicking her red bangs out of her eyes. "So what was our plan for getting more stones?"

"We'll find other leads."

"Right." Cara rolled her eyes. "More leads. Kind of like the bread crumb trails left by Dante? Or the other duds that the Elric's have been tracking for almost three years now. I don't know if I've got three more years, kid. Or even one year."

Even as she spoke the words, she didn't really… care. Speaking of her own death seemed like such an inconsequential topic.

Chloe's unseeing eyes narrowed. "This is why I didn't want you to give her the stones." She muttered, not even sparing a glance in Envy's direction. Not that she could see him regardless.

"Yes, I'm sure she would prefer agony to a brief bout of apathy." Envy shot back.

"A lack of agony is nice." Cara stood to her feet. Chloe took a few steps forward.

"You shouldn't. You might not be—"

"Cool it shrimp, I'm fine." Cara said. "I want to be alone for a little while, alright? I'm going on a walk. Don't worry about it." Chloe pressed her lips together in a tight line and Cara sighed. "Look, I've just had the red stones. As long as I'm feeling particularly bitchy and apathetic, the attacks aren't going to hit me. You can relax. I'll only be out for a little bit." She slid open the window on the right side of the room and swung her legs out onto the branch of the old oak tree. "Try not to kill Envy with your glare."

"If I could he would already be dead." Chloe said, her face completely, well, dead serious. Envy just chuckled and removed himself from the room.

Without any further argument from Chloe, Cara shimmied the rest of the way down the tree and landed on the ground. Her muscles were, in truth, still aching. But Cara didn't mind the slight pain. After all, in this state, pain was the only thing she _could _feel clearly.

She moved at a slow pace down the street, kicking up dirt and loose pebbles beneath her scuffed up boots. The streets were quiet and the skies overcast. The grey sky was a welcome sight. Grey skies expressed nothing. Not the happiness of sunshine or the gloom of rain. They simply were.

Just as Cara, when she was Apathy, simply was.

"Only you would be out walking after a seizure."

Cara glanced over her shoulder to see Ed coming down the street, a bag under his auto-mail arm.

"Following me, Ed?" she asked casually.

"No." Ed said, maybe too loudly. And was it just Cara or did his face get slightly red? She shrugged off the thought.

"Then what are you doing?" she asked.

"I went as a favor to your family. Picked up some food things for them." Ed said. "Couldn't stand waiting around for you to get better. It—" he stopped himself. "Well, I just don't like waiting, that's all."

"Not worried about me, are you pipsqueak?" Cara raised an eyebrow.

"You wish." Ed came up alongside her. "The real question is: What are you doing out here?"

"I prefer to be alone when I'm like this." Cara said. "That way I can only be a bitch to myself."

"The stones, huh?" Ed asked.

"Yep. Those lovely stones. They sure do suppress pain but also emotions." Cara looked down at the ground. "I don't need to do anything hurtful to Chloe right now. I've hurt her too much. But in this state, I tend not to care." She pointed at herself. "You know, Apathy."

"You care enough to try to avoid Chloe though." Ed pointed out. "So you're not completely emotionally dead."

Cara shrugged. "I don't see a huge difference."

"I do." Ed said. Cara was caught off guard by how matter-of-fact he sounded. She blinked as he stared her down with his determined gold eyes. For a moment, nothing was said.

Then, after several seconds of silence, Ed seemed to realize the intensity of his gaze and he took a step back, rubbing a hand over the back of his head. "But that's just me. I-I mean I do think there's a difference between your emotions on the stones and complete Apathy. That is I don't think you were ever completely emotionally dead. You were just trying to be."

In any other state, Cara would have called Ed out on his stuttering. Tonight she didn't have the heart for it. Or the care. "Doesn't that make me a worse person? Instead of being able to say 'I had no emotions so I didn't know any better' I have to say, 'I denied my emotions and _tried _to be a terrible person.' That's worse isn't it?"

"If you put it like that." Ed said. "But maybe the stones only dulled them a bit. Then once Dante told you that was the intended effect, you let yourself shut them out. Because you thought it would be easier. Because you thought that was what should happen." He shook his head. "But you've always had free will. And you chose right in the end."

"I guess even monsters can choose right sometimes." Cara muttered.

"Stop calling yourself that." Ed snapped, with surprising volume.

Cara stopped walking and stared at him. "I _am _a monster, Edward. I'm a homunculus."

"Homunculus means created human. The only word I hear in that is human. Not monster." Ed's golden eyes flashed. "So don't call yourself a monster again. It's stupid. And I don't like seeing you—" He cut himself off. His face was red again and he had stopped closer to Cara than she had anticipated.

"You shouldn't yell so much." Cara said after a pause. Her voice came out oddly hoarse. "You… make your face red."

Ed's face grew even redder and he took a few steps back from her. "Right. I do that sometimes… Get angry I mean."

"I've… I've noticed."

"Yeah…"

They stood there in a long, awkward silence and Cara was unsure what to feel or say. She did feel _something_. Something that pushed at the icy barrier around her heart. The barrier created by the stones. The something was familiar and yet different. When had she felt something similar?

With Envy… she could have sworn…

Cara's eyes widened slightly. "Edward—"

"Never mind." Ed waved a hand dismissively, his expression nearly returning to normal and he started walking again. "Just… don't hurt yourself alright? Be careful."

"I will." Cara murmured. She watched him until he disappeared around the corner, back towards her old family's house. And she watched the empty space he left for several minutes after that.

Her mind raced. She remembered back to those moments with Envy, when she was so caught up in the effects of the red stones. When Envy kissed her, she felt something. Anger. Hate. Attraction. Desire. And other things that Cara didn't entirely understand. And now she had taken the stones again. She felt something again. But this time with Edward.

But Ed hadn't kissed her. He'd only been speaking to her. Yelling, more like it. Why…

Cara rubbed a hand over her forehead. "These attacks are screwing with my mind. I need to calm down."

* * *

Cara wandered around a bit more to give Ed plenty of time to get back to the house before her. She made an effort to slip in quietly, but Chloe, of course, was waiting for her as soon as she set foot in the door.

She sighed, "Look shrimp. It was just a little walk. I didn't hurt myself so cool it."

"I'm not here to bother you about hurting yourself." Chloe said. "Jane was worried about you. She said she wanted to see you as soon as you woke up but you left before I could tell you that."

Cara felt a dull stab of guilt in her chest and she winced. Maybe Ed was right about her just choosing not to have emotions on the stones. She felt guilty for worrying her little sister who already had enough to worry about.

"Right… um… I'll go talk to her." She replied. As she crossed the room, Ed entered from the kitchen, briefly catching her eye. He looked away, his face flushing again and Cara swallowed harder than usual. She glanced hurriedly back towards the stairs, hoping Chloe hadn't noticed the falter in her steps. The brat could be annoyingly observant sometimes.

She moved slowly up the steps, so as not to cause herself any pain. She rapped lightly on Jane's door. "Hey kiddo. Can I come in?"

No answer. Cara pressed her ear to the door in case she missed her sisters voice. Still nothing.

"I'm coming in. Jane?" Cara creaked open the door and peeped inside. Jane wasn't there. Odd… wasn't she supposed to be bedridden? Maybe she could still walk just fine… fresh air did people good sometimes.

Cara stepped out into the hallway, almost smack into Ellen, who carried a tray of food.

"Sorry." She said, stepping back.

"Its fine." Ellen smiled. "Just bringing some food up to Jane."

"About that…" Cara said, feeling nervousness coil in her gut. "Jane can still walk, right?"

"In theory." Ellen frowned. "But she hasn't for a month now. She gets sick if she tries to walk around. And she wouldn't get very far without our help."

Cara felt the color drain from her face. It seemed her pesky emotions were beginning to resurface. "Ellen."

"What?"

"Jane isn't in her room."

Ellen blinked. "What are you talking about? What do you mean she isn't in her room."

"I mean… that she's gone. She's not in there." Cara said.

The tray slipped from Ellen's hands and clattered to the floor.

* * *

"She has to be somewhere." Jake said, pacing angrily about the room, rubbing his fingers through his hair so erratically that Cara thought he might tear it out by its roots. "She can't have gotten past any of us. And she'd never have made it down the stairs. She's not strong enough."

"Calm down, Jake." David said, though his voice had tightened with worry as well.

"Why should we be calm? Jane is missing and we don't know where she's gone. We can't be calm. We can't lose…" he trailed off and turned away, rubbing his arm angrily over his face. Cara could hear the emotion in his voice. He was crying. "We can't lose someone else."

"She may not have walked out herself." Envy said at last.

"What do you mean?" Ed asked.

"I mean she might have been taken by someone." He said.

"The window was open." Cara remembered. "Someone could have gone through the window."

"Jane always leaves the door open during the day." Ellen mumbled. She had been beside herself ever sense they found out Jane was missing.

"Not the best security." Envy commented.

"Why would we have any reason to be worried about keeping the window open?" Jake snapped, rounding on Envy. "We don't have any enemies to worry about."

"Maybe not." Envy glanced at Cara. "But she does."

Cara felt sick. She shook her head. "No… no they can't have her."

"You've been thinking the same thing, Apathy." Envy said.

"Cara." Cara corrected testily. "But why would they take Jane? She's sick. She's of no use to them."

"She's bait." Al realized. "For us. They took her as bait."

"Dante doesn't want us running out in the open." Chloe nodded. "We might disrupt her plans. She wants Envy and Cara dead for sure. Maybe the rest of us too, if she doesn't still want to use us as her alchemist puppets."

"You brought this trouble on our family." Jake's voice was practically a growl as he took a step towards Cara.

"Not just her, we all did." Ed snapped.

"And I invited her here, so its my fault too." Ellen stood, still in tears. "Stop yelling at her Jake.

"But she—"

"Stop." Cara said in a dull voice. Surprisingly it worked. She stood slowly to her feet. "You're right. I did bring this trouble on you. I never wanted to involve any of you in my problems. That's why I ran away in the first place." She looked Jake in the eye. "I'm sorry. I'm going to help you get Jane back. And then I'm going to leave and the rest of them will come with me. I promise. We'll get Jane back."

Jake stared back for a long time before he looked away. "We'd better." He moved to the other side of the room, crossing his arms over his chest and retreating into a brooding silence.

"We need to find them first." Ed said. "Wherever they are. If she's meant to be bait then they would have left some kind of bread crumb trail."

"Dante's patient. She's not going to leave an easy bread crumb trail to follow." Al pointed out.

"Well we can start—" Ed began but Envy held up a hand.

"Quiet."

"What?"

"Just be quiet for a minute, pipsqueak." He cocked his head to the side as if listening for something, while Ed fumed in silence at the nickname. Cara listened as well, but heard nothing.

Wait… no there was something.

Subued, but ragged breathing.

In a flash Envy vaulted out the window, shattering the glass in the process. That was all well and good. Half the people in the room could easily fix it with alchemy later. But the sudden movement was still surprising.

Moments later, Cara understood why. A familiar boy with scraggly black hair was tossed through the window and onto the floor in the middle of the living room.

Wrath.

"Don't worry." Envy said, jumping back into the house and brushing off his hands. "Our bread crumb trail just got a lot easier to follow."

* * *

**_Hope you enjoyed some CaraxEd goodness._  
**

**_Chloe: I know I did._**

**_Cara: You're a character. You're not supposed to ship this._**

**_Chloe: But I do._**

**_Al: Honestly, she just hates Envy, so she wants Cara to be with someone else._**

**_Chloe: Like any good friend WOULD_**

**_Envy: *Rolls eyes*_**

**_Ed: I hate you, Kallypso_**

**_Love you too Ed! So yeah, this fic is going to be seven chapters longer at the least... maybe nine or ten. The way I have it plotted I'm guessing seven but I could be wrong._**

**_Wrath: In the mean time, review! Because I'm cute!_**

**_Indeed. Thanks for reading!_**


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